Eye of Passion, Heart of Stone
by Eye of Passion
Summary: Karina Tharan, a powerful telepath, was rescued from one fate only to be thrown to another, another in which Folken and Dilandau both want her for very different reasons, in which she doesn't know who to trust, who to hate, or who to love.
1. Default Chapter

Prologue: Taken   
  
Footsteps slapped against the ground, echoing in the cold night air. Karina could hear them closing in behind her, and she tried to pick up her pace, but she had been running so long. She looked around wildly for a place to hide where he might not find her, but there was nothing in sight, nothing but trees with branches too high off the ground and park benches. Why couldn't she find the way out? Where were all the people that usually flocked to the grassy space to watch the stars? She had tried to get out, she had tried to find her way back, but she had only been here once or twice before and couldn't remember the way.  
  
She should have never let that man get near her. He had seemed nice enough, innocently starting a conversation with her about the park. He had said he always liked it in the spring time. She had explained that she had just moved here and didn't really know what he meant and he had gotten a sort of odd smile on his face. She should have known then. She should have seen the lust and the malice that had come to his eyes, should have heard the syrupy tone that had come to his voice.  
  
By now she could hear his breathing behind her, so close he was. It was labored, as hers was, but he was still gaining on her, still coming closer. She didn't dare look behind her, didn't even glance back for fear of slowing her progress.   
  
A tree root caught her foot, flinging her to the ground and making her cry out at the impact. She turned over, trying to get up, tripping over her own feet in her panic. He had come to a stop, and now he was towering over her, smiling slightly.  
  
"So, you like it on your back, do you?" His voice was no longer syrupy, and Karina could see her fate reflected in his cold, hard eyes.  
  
"NO!" She screamed. "No! Somebody help me! No! NO!"  
  
And suddenly there was no more screaming. The blinding beam of white light was there for no more than a second, but that was all it took. In a moment the sky was once again dark and all that remained in the clearing was a man with malice in his eyes, staring up at the night sky.


	2. The Eye, the Heart, and the Hand

Chapter 1: The Eye, the Heart, and the Hand  
I forgot a disclaimer last time, does that make me a terrible person? I don't own any of it except for Karina and whoever else I invent. And don't worry, Karina won't become a Mary Sue as somebody so charmingly put it. Mary Sues are boring.  
  
Dilandau padded silently through the forest, his feet making no noise on the soft grass. He was close, he was certain of that; he could practically smell his quarry in the air. An arrogant smirk crossed his face as he thought of the other Ziabach units that had been sent off in another direction, following the orders from fools who knew nothing of the intuition and instinct used to track. Nothing of hunting. Dilandau knew everything.  
  
That was why he was here, now, finding the unknown creature that had come with the light. _Maybe Strategos will let me kill it this time. _Dilandau thought, his hands itching to run something through. It had been quiet the past few months, too quiet, since the end of the war and he was restless. There shouldn't be time to sit and do nothing; there should be time to hear the screams of the fallen, the piteous cries of the dying. That was what he wanted to hear.  
  
Instead, a soft moan reached his sharp ears and his head snapped in its direction. His smile broadened into a gleeful grin. He had found it. Silently, he motioned the rest of his men forward, surrounding the being in a barrier of unbreakable skill and strength. Slowly, without making a sound, Dilandau stepped into the clearing, ducking under a branch and scanning the shadows for his prey. There was nobody there. He looked again; surely he had missed something—and his eyes alighted on a figure sprawled motionless on the ground.  
  
Not just any figure, but a girl, a mere slip of a thing. Dilandau's grin faded abruptly. He had come out in the middle of the night, looking for a creature of amazing power or at least something he could butcher with his blade and all he had found was a stupid girl?  
  
He stalked angrily over to her unconscious form and glared at her.  
  
Wake up, woman. He snapped loudly, breaking the silence with his frigid voice. He wouldn't kill her, not because he had promised Folken he wouldn't, but because it would be no fun. She looked like she had absolutely no spirit, fragile, boring. Where would be the fun in killing somebody who didn't even struggle. Wake up, woman. He repeated.  
  
Deep grey eyes opened and met his crimson ones, confusion and fear showing in their stormy depths. The young woman dragged herself slowly into a sitting position, her brilliant titian hair gleaming in the sliver of moonlight that penetrated the canopy of trees. Stand up, woman. Dilandau demanded roughly, looking down his nose at her in disgust. Why did all the people who landed on his planet have to be small, weak women? You are to come with me.  
  
Karina stared blankly up at the stranger before her, taking in the silver-blond locks, the alabaster skin. He was talking to her, she could see his lips move, hear his voice, telling her to stand up, to come with them. He probably expected her to obey without question because he was her resquer—her head whipped around frantically. Where was the man? He had been standing over her right before, right before... she couldn't remember. _Oh god, _She thought silently, _he didn't... _But her clothes were untorn and she felt no pain. She looked back up at the boy before her. If he thought she would obey he had a surprise coming for him.  
  
She replied evenly, none of her shattered nerves betrayed by her voice.  
  
Dilandau arched one silver brow. His voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible, but it carried a venom that would have killed had it been tangible.  
  
I said no. Karina repeated, less confidently this time. There was death in that voice, and as he stepped closer, she could see in the moonlight that there was death in his eyes too. _Such eyes. _She thought, her gaze locking onto them. Orbs the color of flame, of blood, stared back at her, measuring her up like cattle for the slaughter. They were the color of passion, love, and yet Karina knew that if she looked for a heart in that shell she would find none.  
  
Dilandau broke the gaze first, motioning to his men as he did so. Gatti stepped forward, nodded to his commander, and in one swift motion lifted Karina and swung her over his shoulder. She shrieked as he did so, flailing and kicking and biting in her effort to break free, but the Dragonslayer's were not the elite of the Ziabach army for nothing, and Gatti's grip held firm.  
  
Dilandau chuckled softly at her pitiful attempts to escape, and he let out a peal of loud, maniacal laughter as her head snapped up to glare at him. He didn't care if she heard him—in fact, he rather liked seeing her degraded, helpless, exactly like all his victims were.  
  
Shut the fuck up, you albino man-whore! Karina's mouth snapped shut as soon as she spoke the words, and she knew from the look in the man's eyes that she had screwed up big time. _Shit, shit, shit! _She cursed herself mentally. She hadn't thought about the consequences, or at all as a matter of fact, just like she always did, letting her temper getting the better of her when she would be far better off shutting up.  
  
What did you just call me? He whispered softly, walking slowly over to her. Between his long fingers he idly twirled a small dagger, the brilliant silver of the blade glimmering in the moonlight. Karina didn't answer, her vocal chords paralyzed with fear. Answer me, He commanded roughly, his patience (what little there ever was of it) diminishing by the second. Still, Karina did not speak and he growled low in his throat, far angrier at the fact that he could not kill her for her insolence than at what she had actually said.  
  
Karina gasped but did not cry out when the back of his gloved fist hit her in the face, nor did she cry when the pain actually registered and the blood trickled down the inside of her mouth. Instead she lay silently over Gatti's shoulder as the other men began walking, following a little ways behind their leader. But though she may have lain silent, her mind was working, thinking, trying to find a way to get away from the psycho and his followers that had abducted her. Her gaze drifted down to the hilt of a small dagger tucked into the soldier's belt, only inches away from her dangling hand, and an idea formed in her mind. Not a very good one, she had to admit, but an idea none the less.  
  
Karina inched her hand slowly to the dagger, trying to look relaxed and docile in case anybody else should chance to look at her. _What a dumb place to keep a knife with a captive on your back. _She thought to herself, not without amusement, as her nimble fingers continued to make their way toward it. Her fingers closed around the hilt gently, feeling victory in their grasp, and she quickly snuck a peek at the other soldiers. None of them were watching her; she smirked as she realized none of them thought it necessary.  
  
Her grip tightened and she slid the blade out of its sheath, grimacing at the hiss of steel it made as she freed it of its restraint.  
  
Gatti's head whipped around only a moment after Dilandau's did, but they were both too late. The confused soldier began, but before he could finish Karina had gotten behind him and a sharp point was being pressed against his throat.  
  
Come one step closer and I will kill him. She threatened softly, locking eyes with Dilandau. She knew there were other soldiers there, knew that there were others that could kill her too, but the one she was most worried about was right in front of her. And he was worried. Not panicked, but certainly not as comfortable as he had been before. Maybe he actually believed that she would kill him. Not that she would. She couldn't. She could barely stand the feel of his heartbeat pounding against the blade, the heat of the blood in his neck.  
  
Dilandau glared at her for a moment, his eyes pinning her where she stood, and then his face softened and his mouth curved up into his usual smirk. You won't kill him. He taunted her softly, not even bothering to take the knife from her grasp, though he knew he could. You've never killed before and you're not going to start now. It wasn't a question; he knew she wouldn't. If there was one thing he could do it was judge a person's character, and hers didn't have the will in it to kill, or the desire to.  
  
It took all Karina's will power to press the point of the blade farther into the young man's flesh, and she heard his sharp intake of breath as a tiny line of crimson ran down his throat. She said softly, her voice unsteady to say the least. I will.  
  
Dilandau's blood red eyes narrowed, and in one swift movement he had wrenched the knife from her grasp and knocked her out. He didn't catch her as she fell to the ground; he would not lower himself so and actually touch her. Not one of his slayers showed any emotion as to what they thought of the incident, and Gatti lifted his burden once more, ignoring the slight bleeding from his neck, and proceeded to walk toward their guymelefs and the Vione.  
  
Lord Dilandau, Gatti said quietly as they neared their destination. What would you like me to do with the girl? Just as long as he didn't have to kill her. Normally he didn't have a problem with killing innocents, especially not if they were in his way, but she hadn't been in the way, or in anybody's way as far as he could see.  
  
Dilandau didn't even glance over to look at the unconscious girl, and merely shrugged. Throw her in the dungeon. He said nonchalantly; he was bored again. The girl had put up a reasonable fight, but it hadn't been enough to excite him, to stir his blood. And Gatti, He added, as an afterthought. Don't put her near any other prisoners. She needs some alone time. And a small smile crossed his face as his second in command went to do his bidding.


	3. The Talent

Chapter 2:   
You know the drill with the disclaimer thingy. By the way, reviews are très appreciated and let me know whether I should keep going on this or not. I'm sorry I didn't get this up sooner. But I was in Seattle and then in the Carribean and life has been hectic.  
  
Dilandau strode down the hall quickly, knocking people out of the way as he passed and delighting in the satisfying thud they all made when they hit the ground. Silence followed him, silence which he knew was filled with seething glares, but none dared to question him or stand up to him, and so none spoke. His heart beat with a familiar anticipation: The sooner he got to Folken the sooner he found out why _she _was here/ The sooner he could find out what the sorcerers would do with her if she were useful. The sooner he could kill her if she turned out to be useless. The next hallway he turned down was empty and silent but for the soft click of his boots on the hard floor, and his pace quickened to reach the door at the end of the corridor.  
  
Suddenly he stopped as a pair of blue eyes caught his from behind a door that stood slightly ajar. Darkness poured out of the opening, darkness except for the bright orbs that stared back at him. Dilandau growled softly, more out of exasperation than of anger; she was always appearing!  
  
How many times have I told you to stay away from me? He whispered, slipping into the room silently and shutting the door gently behind him.  
  
Quite a few. Replied the soft, feminine voice, the owner of which was now looking out of the window at the opposite end of the room. But I have to make sure, for your sake as well as mine.  
  
Dilandau snorted derisively. Of course it's for _my _sake as well as yours. He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. If I'm caught, you die, or at least that body of yours wi—  
  
Believe it or not Dilandau, The calm voice interrupted him. I do care about what happens to y—  
  
He cut her off roughly. If we weren't still unfortunately connected you would have left months ago, but instead you stick around, to much of a coward to leave, just to make sure you won't suddenly find yourself dead, or worse, trapped in me.  
  
Her head snapped to look at him, and she knew her eyes held her fear. _Anybody's would, though. _She thought, recalling the pieces of her past she had blocked from her mind. _With the prospect of living through him, in him, under his control, who wouldn't be afraid?  
  
_Dilandau walked back to the door and eased it open, listening first to see if anybody was outside. Don't talk to me anymore, Celena. How he hated calling somebody so weak by their first name, but it was hard not to, so long had she been with him. He walked out without letting her say anything else and shut the door again softly, though he longed to slam it and break it into a million tiny fragments.  
  
Celena continued to stand there by the window, staring at the door he had left through, and it took her a moment to realize that she hadn't managed to tell him what she had been meaning to.  
  
°§°  
  
The first thing Karina became aware of when she awoke was her head. Pounding away in painful abandon, the slightest movement was torture. _God, this is worse than a hangover. _She thought unhappily, wincing because even coherent thought hurt. The second thing she became conscious of was her stomach, and the extreme nausea that was brewing there. Frantically, ignoring the agony in her head, she sat up and looked around for somewhere—anywhere—to throw up that she wouldn't have to smell it. But, it being only a temporary holding cell and therefore without facilities, Karina settled for the corner farthest from where she was.  
  
When the heaving of her stomach finally ceased, her headache had receded enough for her to take in her surroundings. She was in a large cell, with solid, black walls and no windows to see out of. Several vents dotted the ceiling, each no larger than her fist and well-sealed, so that only air would be able to get in or out.  
  
_Holy shit. _She thought incredulously, staring around her prison in amazement. _I'm in fucking solitary confinement.  
  
_Karina continued to examine the walls, feeling for any crack or crevice that could mean her escape. There was nothing, as she had suspected there would be, and she began to pace, plans and ideas running through her head that would rip like fly paper were they actually put to the test.  
  
At the sound of the door opening she stopped and turned, hardly daring to breathe. She didn't know what they were planning to do with her, nor did she want to know so soon. A young man walked through the door, his curly platinum hair just covering one of his turquoise eyes. Karina breathed a sigh of relief; for a moment she had thought it would be the other one. The one with the eyes.  
  
Turn around. He ordered, pulling out a thick metal link and looking at her with emotionless eyes. Knowing it was useless to disobey Karina turned; she didn't say a word as the link was brutally forced over bother her hands, or even gasp as the metal molded to the shape of her wrist, sliding over the contours of her skin in cool, steel tentacles.  
  
He led her outside the cell without speaking to her again, simply nudging her down the corridor and shutting the cell door behind them. They continued down hallway after hallway, Karina in the front, the soldier behind; clearly they didn't trust her after the little incident in the woods. They had every right not to trust her.  
  
In the middle of a particularly deserted corridor she stumbled, her shoe catching on the smooth floor, and she winced at the sound her cheek made as it struck the floor. As quickly as she could she slid her legs through her arms so the link was now in front and curled into a ball, allowing a few tears to trickle down her cheeks.  
  
The soldier bent down to examine her, checking her head for any injuries, and realized his mistake only a bare second before the heavy metal link came crashing into the side of his head.  
  
Karina scrambled to her feet, bending quickly to make sure he was alive, and ran down the hall, frantically hunting for a way out. _This place is huge! _She thought, mentally cursing its architect. Rounding the next corner she saw light; real, honest-to-goodness, straight from the sun, light. Relief spread across Karina's face as she picked up her pace, running to her salvation with renewed vigor. She continued in her headlong sprint, through the open double doors to her freedom—and skidded to a halt as the sunlight poured down onto her face.  
  
Slowly Karina turned around and began walking back the way she had come, though she didn't remember exactly which way that was. She didn't know where she was going, nor did she care; it wasn't like it mattered at all. She was on a floating fortress, a mass of floating stone and wood, suspended like a mobile in the sky. She was trapped. Completely, totally, and utterly trapped. It was the first time in her life Karina had ever been left with no way out.  
  
She kept walking, hardly seeing the three soldiers sent to find her, barely noticing the link that was clamped over her wrists, uncaring of where they were leading her. She didn't even come back to reality until a heavy pair of double doors opened in front of her and she looked up into two crimson eyes.  
  
°§°  
  
Dilandau's eyes snapped to the doorway as the prisoner was led in, fury radiating from his every pore. He watched her walk into the room, imagining the tortures he would put her through were she not hell, he might just fuck the rules and put her through them anyway, keeping her alive of course. _One can't have important prisoners from the Mystic Moon dying, after all. _He thought, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smirk. His delight at the thought of torturing her did not last though, as he thought of what she had done to two soldiers. Two of _his _Dragonslayers. The elite, the golden, perfection itself, trained personally by the best general ever to walk Gaea. Two had been bested by a mere slip of a girl. And now he didn't get to kill her. Didn't get to watch her face as she fought for air, struggled to survive, didn't get to see the struggle fail and the film of death slide over her eyes. He glared at her gain, wishing to kill her, rip her apart. At least she had a bruise.  
  
Do you know why you are here, girl? Dilandau's eyes flicked up as his thoughts were interrupted. The speaker was half hidden in shadow, sitting on a throne in the middle of the room.  
  
Came the clipped reply.  
  
Dilandau saw Folken smile, his keen eyes penetrating the darkness to view the Strategos. He looked away from his superior, not wanting to see what nobody else could. Why the sorcerers had kept him alive was not mystery, but why they had failed to repair the damage...  
  
Do you know what we're going to do with you? Folken's voice came again, calm and cool as ever, but with an edge it had not used to possess.  
  
Let me think... Kill me? Torture me? Rape me? Experiment on me? Or maybe, you're going to bore me to death. Dilandau was forced to suppress a chuckle, at her words and at the thought of inflicting them on her.  
  
No. Obviously you don't know. He sounded almost disappointed, and Dilandau sat a little straighter, wondering if she would be found to be useless and he'd get to have his fun after all. Then we must educate you. Folken said softly, his soothing voice echoing in the large chamber. We are going to offer you a job.  
  
Is this one of those offers I can't refuse?' Dilandau smirked at the sarcasm in her voice. One thing was true—she certainly had guts, or was just incredibly stupid. Only one person ever talked to the Strategos that way as Dilandau well knew, the rest were all too frightened.  
  
Yes. Well, you can refuse of course, only—  
  
Only I'll be raped, tortured, experimented on, and killed.  
  
Yes, though not necessarily in that order.  
  
For the first time since she had entered the room, Dilandau could see a flicker of fear in her grey eyes. He wanted to see more.  
  
Karina, we are not here to harm you, we only wish—  
  
She commanded, and Dilandau saw the fear leave her face as her eyes hardened.  
  
Excuse me?  
  
She repeated. What, you think I believe all this bullshit about you not wanting to harm me? Maybe you don't, but you sure as hell aren't here to do me any good.  
  
And how do you know this? Folken asked softly. His tone was curious, light, but Dilandau could hear the hunger in his voice.  
  
You know my name. I never told anybody here my name because nobody asked—rather rude of them if you ask me. She said, turning her story grey eyes back to Dilandau. He gazed levelly back at her, knowing there was only one way this staring contest would end, and he had to suppress a triumphant chuckle as she looked away. If you know my name it means you've been following me or something.  
  
Following your fate is the more precise term. Dilandau could see the girl waiting for him to elaborate, but he didn't, and instead changed the subject. Before I explain to you what your job is, I want you to do something for me.  
  
She snapped, her patience and control clearly wearing thin. Dilandau looked at her in disgust; his own slayers would never be that weak.  
  
I want you to tell me what I'm thinking of. Folken explained, emerging from the shadows and moving to stand in front of Karina. He held out his hand and Dilandau saw the girl looking at it, suspicion bright in her eyes. Just take my hand and tell me what I'm thinking of.  
  
Hesitantly Karina took his hand and closed her eyes, and expression of skepticism still pasted onto her face. Her brow furrowed and Dilandau wondered what was going on within the confines of her mind.  
  
After a moment she opened her eyes and looked up into Folken's.  
  
What did you see? He asked softly, searching her eyes as if trying to extract the information from her that way.  
  
She replied slowly, looking bewildered. With red bow-ties.  
  
Folken broke into a smile, a real smile, and spoke. Very good. Now, I will tell you what we want you to do.  
  
We want you to interrogate prisoners—well, not really interrogate, you won't need to do that. We wish for you to extract information from prisoners and occasionally be our spy.   
  
You see, Karina. He continued, walking around behind her. You are a telepath, and a powerful one at that. You can read people's minds through touch, know what they are feeling at a simple glance, can tell whether they are lying without even looking at them. It is a beautiful talent for a beautiful woman. The last part was whispered into her ear, and Dilandau's lip curled into a sneer of revulsion; Folken always did have awful taste. First that cat-woman Naria, and now some foul, Mystic Moon whore.   
  
the Strategos continued, his voice still retaining the husky quality of before. Will you accept this— there was an artful pause   
  
There was only a moment's hesitation before Karina answered.   
  
Excellent, now—  
  
I'm not finished. She interrupted coldly, looking Folken straight in the eyes. None of his men are to touch me. She said, gesturing in Dilandau's direction. He smiled, noting the fact that she had not said _he _couldn't touch her. Maybe he'd get to have his fun after all.  
  
Folken smiled slightly, and Dilandau frowned at the expression on his face. It was _his _expression. 


	4. The Feeling of the Feelings

Chapter 3: The Feeling of the Feelings  
  
Well, this was a fun chapter to write so I hope you all have fun reading it. Don't hate me for playing a bit with Karina' love life, things aren't always what they seem. Also, there is a rather intersting little scene in here, but it is the only scene like it in my entire plot, so don't hate me. If you're uncomfortable with a bit of lemon, skip the paragraph.  
  
Karina lay in her new bed that night, eyes wide open, unable to sleep. She was a telepath. A telepath? Like a reading minds invading your head kind of telepath? _We've been over this already._ Her mind scolded. _Yes, you are a telepath. Yes, you can read minds. Yes, the Strategos is seriously easy on the eyes. _She let out a little giggle at the last thought, and then quickly supressed it. He was not her friend. None of them were. She could not afford to think they were her friends. They were using her for their dirty work, and that was all.  
  
But still... the way he had whispered in her ear kept coming back to her, the way his breath had tickled her cheek... A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of his breath tickling her elsewhere. She frowned, angry at her traitorous body, the one that wanted her enemy, and furious with her unfaithful heart, who wanted to befriend those who had imprisoned her.  
  
She turned over again in her spacious bed, and gazed around her new room, taking in the richly colored hangings and the clawfoot bath tub in the adjoined bathroom. Yes. They were definitely using her. And she would not be friends with people who used her.  
  
§  
  
The next morning Karina took breakfast in her own room, not yet ready to face the Dragonslayers she would normally dine with. She ate her porridge slowly, delaying the moment she would ahve to got to her lessons with Folken as long as she could. When a maid finally came for her she wasn't even dressed, and so it was a full hour later than she was supposed to that she arrived at the throne room.  
  
Karina slipped through the doors, clad in the loose purple undershirt and snug leather pants that had been provided for her, and scanned the shadows for her teacher.  
  
His voice came first and then his tall figure slid into the dim light of the room. She felt her heart flutter at the smile he gave her and quickly extinguished the ridiculous feeling, determined to be nothing but civil to her instructor.  
  
She said, bowing as the maid had done.  
  
This morning, Karina—such a lovely name—this morning, I am going to teach you how to feel emotions. He began to walk about the room, speaking as he went. You will learn to feel hate, anger, hope, confusion, longing, fear... He paused and turned, pinning her with his cool aqua gaze. Lust, love.  
  
Karina's breath caught in her throat at his last words, and she knew he was talking of more than the lesson.  
  
So we will begin with identifying the feelings. I will summon up a memory or situation that has caused me one of these feelings and you will tell me what I am feeling. You back will be facing me so that you won't simply rely on the expressions on my face. Let us begin. Turn around, Karina.  
  
She obeyed, turning her back to him and closing her eyes.  
  
Concentrate on me, on me alone. There is not room, no Vione, no other people in the world. Only me. Now what am I feeling?  
  
Karina concentrated on him, on the image she had in her mind and waited for the feeling to reach her. She opened her eyes. She whispered.  
  
Very good. Came Folken's voice, equally quiet. Now what?  
  
In the next hour Karina identified jealously, irritation, exasperation, hope, longing, vanity, obssession, and confusion. And each time she identified an emotion, she became faster at feeling them, at sensing the waves coming off of him.  
  
Her teacher said finally. Now though, we're going to try something a little bit different. You have been sensing smaller emotions, ones with less power. He paused. Now, we're going to try bigger emotions. Karina humped as his breath brushed against her ear—she hadn't even heard him move. Now, Karina. He said, resuming his position several yards away from her. What am I feeling?  
  
Karina closed her eyes again and felt for him, finding his presence much more quickly than the first time. For a moment she felt nothing, nothing but the soothing calm that always ruled him. And then suddenly pain erupted in her head, making her cry out with its force. She fell to her knees, clutching her head in agony as the onslaught continued. She could hear screaming in the room, heart-wrenching shrieks echoing in the huge chamber, and realized it was her.  
  
And as suddenly as it had begun, it ended. The pain was gone, and Karina opened her eyes to find Folken leaning over her, concern bright in his eyes.  
  
Are you all right.? He asked gently, reaching out to examine her face with his metal arm.  
  
_Funny, _Karina thought dimly, still recovering from the shock. _I didn't know one of his arms was metal. _ She replied, realizing he had asked her a question.  
  
He said, relief softening the tension on his face. What did you feel?  
  
Karina looked up at him, into his vibrant, gorgeous eyes. She whispered hoarsely, wondering where anger so powerful had come from in this calm, quiet man.  
  
Very good. He said quietly, offering his real hand to her to help her up.  
  
She smiled gratefully up at him and took his hand, letting him pull her up and hold her a little longer than necessary. And suddenly they were no longer standing in the middle of a slightly chilly room, standing too close for Karin's comfort, but making passionate, tumultuous love in an enormous bed, their intertwined bodies writhing with ecstasy. She could feel his lips hot on hers, on her neck, her breasts, and she could feel the muscles bunching in his shoulders, the cold of the metal arm and the heat of the real on wrapping around her. And she could feel the pleasure building, the movements of him inside her driving her wild, taking her higher and higher—  
  
Karina released his hand and stumbled back a few steps, her cheeks flushed and her breath coming hard and fast. She could see her teacher's wide eyes, his parted lips, and she knew he must have been aware of the intrusion into his mind and the images and feelings brewing there.  
  
That's enough for today's lesson. Folken said, unable to keep the tremor from his voice. After lunch, you are to report to the training room and train with the Dragonslayers. You must be able to defend yourself against anything.  
  
_Even you? _A small part of Karina's mind asked silently.  
  
Yes, Strategos. She said out loud.  
  
My name is Folken, Karina. Please call me that.  
  
  
  
Karina left the room and sagged against the wall outside, pressing her uninjured cheek to the cold wall. _Oh bloody hell. _She thought. _What have I gotten myself into?  
_


	5. The Threat

Chapter 5: The Threat  
  
I know this took me awhile to get up but I was being a bad girl (or good girl depending on how you look at it) and writing on my other story. Anyhoo, like I said, review are really appreciated and let me know I'm loved... or hated, whatever.  
  
Dilandau's grin widened as Gatti fell back into the defensive once more, weakening under his general's superior strength and skill. His crimson eyes were glazed with a blood lust that his soldiers knew all too well, and he showed no signs of tiring as he went through them right and left. They had been at this for hours and hours, Dilandau challenging each slayer in turn until finally only his second-in-command was left to defeat. And now he was defeating him too, though admittedly not as quickly as he had defeated the others.  
  
His mind lazily searched for an opening, knowing he would find one sooner or later. It wasn't as if the enemy would find an opening on him; he was invincible—he would never be defeated, he would never be killed. He growled low in his throat as his blade pressed into Gatti's throat.  
  
I yield, Sir.  
  
Dilandau's smile disappeared as he realized he had no more people to fight. The rest had all been sent off to the infirmary; they had not been blocking to his satisfaction, and so he had taught them a lesson. His brow furrowed, scarlet eyes narrowed, and he roughly dismissed his subordinate.  
  
It was unfair that a chit of a girl should be making him so angry. Women were below him, beneath him, by rights he should be giving her no more thought than he did any other slave in the world... And yet, there were times in the day where she would pop into his mind, like a virus that would not be squashed, reminding him of the threat she posed and the power she possessed that should not be hers.  
  
He would never admit it to anybody, but her power scared him. Her ability to reach into the human consciousness and pick out whatever struck her fancy was a talent that could be useful, or dangerous. How long before she decided she didn't like being a slave? How long before she decided to work against those who had aided her? But a thought occurred to him, a happy thought, and the smirk that was his trademark appeared on his face once more. How long before he was permitted to kill her in defense of the Vione?  
  
A small sound reached his ears, a soft footfall just outside the door to the training room. He drew his sword easily, reveling in the hiss of steel that greeted him as he released the metal once more from its prison. Perhaps it was a servant that would catch him off guard, perhaps he would get to have a little fun with the sickle he had recently acquired.  
  
The door opened and Karina slipped in, shutting the door softly behind her. His smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared and a look of death came down over his pale face. He watched her from his dark corner of the room as she looked around with wide, curious eyes, eyes the color of storm, the color of destruction. He saw her eyes widened as they landed on his figure poised in battle readiness at the far end of the room.  
  
Lord Dilandau. She said softly, bowing low. Lord Folken sent me to train with you, for—for self-defense. He words were slow, halting, as if she were unsure of herself, and his eyes glittered with amusement.  
  
Very well. He said coldly. Grab a sword. He gestured to the walls where they hung, rows upon rows of swords, each slightly different. And he chuckled softly as she looked blankly up at them, her hand tentatively outstretched, as if ready to pick the first one she felt called to her.  
  
Which one? She asked bluntly, after a moment of scanning the walls.  
  
Dilandau cast her a look of disgust and stalked over to the wall. He looked at it for no more than a second before picking one of the heaviest hanging there and tossing it to her as if it weighed nothing. She caught it and to her credit didn't drop it, but he could see the trembling in her arms as she struggled to keep it lifted.  
  
Now. I assume Folken wishes you to be able to defend yourself against anything? He asked shortly.  
  
Those were his words. She confirmed, with an ironic smile he did not understand.  
  
Then you must be able to defend yourself against me. Survive when I wish to kill you and you will survive anything. He told her, adding an edge to his already frightening voice.  
  
A small well of fury began to boil within him as she raised an eyebrow, her face a perfect expression of skepticism. She wisely didn't say anything, however, and he refrained from acting on the impulse to decapitate her.  
  
To begin we will start with the sword, and basic self-defense moves when an enemy is attacking you. He began, moving to the center of the floor and taking a fighting stance. I'm going to try to run you through, woman, and you must stop me.  
  
He could see her face tighten at his name for her, but she dutifully took a fighting stance, copying what she could see of him, and gripped the sword a little tighter. All right. She said, her voice perfectly steady. Despite himself, he was a little impressed, but mostly annoyed.  
  
With no warning at all he charged her, though he went slower than he would have normally and didn't actually try to run her through, and she managed a feeble block as the sword was pulled brutally from her hands. He turned around, looking down at her with disdain, and remained silent.  
  
She glared up at him, as if her butterfingers had been his fault, and went to retrieve her sword. He could see a grim determination on her beautiful face, and he smiled at the thought of breaking her. Let us begin again. This time I will go more slowly so that you may properly block and keep hold of your sword.  
  
Her mouth opened as if she were about to say something, but she shook her head, obviously suppressing it, and he raised an eyebrow. Would you like to say something, woman?  
  
No, I wouldn't. Came the clipped reply.  
  
But I saw you open your mouth as if you were going to speak and then you stopped. I would hate to let whatever you had to say go unheard. He said smoothly, his voice nearly dripping with sarcasm.  
  
She began with a venomous smile. I was going to say that this is the dumbest thing I have ever done, first of all, and secondly that you are the most arrogant son of a bitch I've ever had the displeasure of meeting, and lastly that you gave be the heaviest bloody sword just to spite me.  
  
There was a heavy silence in the air as she finished, one thick with anger, fear, and something else difficult to place. Dilandau was looking at her in a way most found disconcerting, and he could see it was beginning to have the anticipated effect on her as well.  
  
In a flash of movement he was in front of her, his hand on her throat. He had her neck in a viselike grip and pushed her against the wall, letting her feel death so she would know how easily he could bring hers about. Listen up, woman. He ground out, his eyes angrier than even his dragon slayers had seen them. You are here for one reason and one reason only, and that is because we want you here. The second you become useless is the second I get to kill you. My way. He added with a grin.  
  
And in case I haven't mentioned it yet. He continued in the same low, terrifying voice. I will not allow my slayers to be distracted by the likes of you, whore. He smiled again at the little sound she managed to get out through his unforgiving fingers, and went on. If I find that any of them are neglecting their duties for any reason at all, I will come to you, and I will kill you and I will have a hell of a lot of fun doing it.  
  
His grip on her throat began to relax, and her hands flew to her throat, her lungs taking in huge gulps of air and her windpipe reopened. And in case you're wondering. He added slowly. My way of killing isn't the fast way.  
  
He saw understanding spread over her face, followed by a hint of the fear he had seen on her face the other day, but it was soon replaced by defiance... the kind of defiance he valued in his own dragon slayers.  
  
I understand. She said hoarsely, standing with as much dignity as somebody who has just been strangled can.  
  
Good. Then let's continue.


	6. The Slayers

Chapter 6: The Slayers  
  
A/N: Hi people, sorry this took me a while to get up, only I had to actually finish creating my plot line (details, details). Also, in case you haven't noticed I've changed the rating to PG-13 because I realized that it didn't really need to be rated R as long as I modified some of the language. Again, I love reviews, and without them it makes me feel exceedingly unloved pouts and snivels  
  
It was a full three days before Karina decided to brave eating breakfast anywhere but her own room. When she did finally come to the conclusion that not dining with the slayers was cowardly, it took her a half hour to work up the nerve to actually go dine with them. During the rather entertaining process of building up her courage to see them, she pulled on the uniform she had grown accustomed to and pulled her thick, titian locks back into a low bun. The brush scraped against a narrow cut on her neck and she winced, more from the humiliation it had caused her than from the pain. Over the past few days Dilandau's training methods had become progressively worse, and yesterday he had dismissed her not only with his usual threats, but with a painful crimson line across her pale throat as well. The memory brought an angry flush to her cheeks, and she finished pinning her hair with unnecessary violence.  
  
As she walked into the mess hall, fifteen heads lifted and turned to stare at her. They had all see her when she was captured, of course, but none had seen her since, and most had begun to wonder if she hadn't been executed after all. Despite rumors that she was a telepath and Dilandau had been known to have his way with important prisoners before, and the result was usually extremely unpleasant.  
  
Karina could feel a blush rising to her cheeks, and tried futilely to suppress it, cursing her pallor and red hair. Good morning. She managed to say finally, with at least a semblance of cheer. Got any empty spots for a poor, hungry telepath?  
  
Her attempt at a joke was greeted with a few weak smiles and even an actual laugh. She was beginning to wonder if she would eve be granted conversation, let alone friendship.  
  
Miss Karina? A cherubic looking blond spoke first. There's a place to sit over here. Smiling gratefully at him, she began walking toward the one empty seat at the table, but froze at the sight of the man seated to her left. Bloodthirsty crimson eyes met her own, looking just as unhappy about the seating as she did.  
  
Instead of indulging her brief fantasy of fleeing the hall and leaping off the Vione, Karina continued walking, holding her head higher than usual and taking a seat with unparalleled grace. She could see a smirk creeping onto his face and she fought the urge to slap him, instead meeting his gaze coolly, a challenge in her eyes.  
  
Dilandau had secretly hoped that she would never gain the courage to come down and dine with his slayers, but she had, so disrupting another piece of his well constructed world. He did not take his eyes off of her, even when she looked away, but continued to stare at her elegant profile, not understanding why she was a telepath and he couldn't kill her. He was disappointed that the mark he had left on her neck didn't seem to be bothering her more than it was; had had so badly wanted to slit her throat then, to watch all her blood flow down her body and encase her like a crimson gown, but he had managed to control himself at the last minute, leaving only a paltry cut that would scar faintly, if it scarred at all.  
  
Dilandau rose from the table only minutes after she had entered—her presence disturbed him—pushing his chair back roughly and addressing his slayers as he did so. I expect to see all of you in the training room in fifteen minutes. As he turned to leave he leaned down and whispered in Karina's ear, gently fingering the mar in her flawless neck. And I trust _you_ will behave yourself. With that he left, imperiously throwing open the double doors as he exited and leaving Karina to swallow the lump of fear that had so quickly jumped into her throat.  
  
For a few moments there was complete silence as each slayer watched the door, making sure he didn't come back and order them to train immediately. When they were sure the coast was clear, a brunette with shoulder length hair said cheerfully, Well, now that Dilandau-sama is gone, we can all properly introduce ourselves.  
  
Karina stared at him, marveling at the change in atmosphere the absence of one person could create. One by one the Dragonslayers rose from their seats and introduced themselves. The curly-haired boy she had knocked out her first day here was a bit wary when she held out her hand to him, but at the other slayers' urging shook her outstretched hand anyway.  
  
Sorry for the—uh—you know... Karina trailed off, and decided it would be better to keep her mouth shut from now on rather than attempt another apology.  
  
Ah, Guimel doesn't care, one of the slayers said loudly. _Miguel,_ she identified in her head, _The one with the ego._ A little bit of unconsciousness never hurt anybody. He leaned closer to her and in a stage whisper told her, He's just hoping you touched him while he was out.  
  
She laughed, something she hadn't done for awhile now, and didn't stop as Guimel tackled Miguel to the ground and the rest of them joined in the brawl.  
  
The chaos stopped as suddenly as it had started as Folken walked into the room, his dark cloak wrapped about his shoulders, hiding the metal arm that Karina now knew was there. A small smiled played about the corners of his mouth, and his amusement showed through the stern tone he took with the men—_Boys really,_ Karina thought as she looked at them—as he addressed them.  
  
Good morning, Gentlemen. He said softly in the low baritone that never failed in sending shivers up her spine. Dilandau has decided to be generous today and give you all the day off, so that you may better explore the town. He paused as he looked at each one of the slayers in turn, and Karina had a feeling she was missing something important, something vital. However, he wishes all of you to see him first to inform you of certain rules of conduct. He turned his gaze to Karina and smiled. Karina, I'm afraid we will still have our morning lesson, but the Dragonslayers shouldn't be gone long, and you are welcome to bear them company later on in the day. With that he held out his arm. Shall we?  
  
She took his arm, and Folken led her down the long hall to the throne room she went to every morning, and asked her how she was as he always did. It was strange how quickly these things had become routine to her, how she would actually miss them if she were to suddenly disappear or wake up to find it all a dream.  
  
He turned to her as they entered the room and smiled at her, that little smile that made her heartbeat a little too fast for her peace of mind.  
  
he began slowly, we're going to do something rather different today.  
  
It took Karina a moment to realize he was talking to her—she had been speculating on the origin of the purple tear on his cheek—and another to figure out what he said.  
  
she finally asked.  
  
he began to pace in front of the throne, the fingers of his metal hand tapping against his arm in agitation. We are going to actually go into the mind today. Explore it, read it if you will.  
  
She was confused. Karina hadn't thought she was supposed to learn any of that for another several weeks at least.  
  
Because you are progressing so well. he said briskly. There was something troubling about that smile, more troubling than merely its insincerity.  
  
All right. Let's do it. Karina began cracking her knuckles and stretching out her fingers—a nervous habit of hers ever since she was young.  
  
I won't have you actually read anybody's mind today, because it is an unfair thing to do to anybody unless circumstance requires you to do it. But I will tell you of the construction of the mind and how to unlock its secrets. Folken clapped once and a three-dimensional image of a house appeared in the middle of the room.  
  
This is the structure of the mind, he explained, gesturing to the house. It is built like a house, with rooms and hallways and doors and windows. And in some cases, he added, smiling a little, there are secret passages as well. He brought his hand up to the front door of the house, and it opened, revealing a long, narrow corridor winding into the distance.  
  
The only difference between the construction of houses and minds, he continued as the image switched to the inside of the house, is that the construction of a mind can change at will. Things can be moved to different places within the mind, new doors can appear with seemingly unbreakable locks. The only thing you need to remember about the mind, Karina, he said softly, walking closer to her, is that nothing in it is closed to you. If you think you cannot get into a room, you are wrong. You have the power to get in and get out without harm.  
  
Karina frowned and looked up at him.   
  
The human mind is also a dangerous place, full of traps to cage your own mind. Though there are few telepaths here, there have been cases where a person's mind has become trapped in another's, where it becomes impossible to leave the other's mind.  
  
Trapped. Forever. Like an animal in a cage. That would suck. Karina said faintly.  
  
Yes it would. But you have nothing to fear. You're perfect.  
  
A tense silence followed his last words as she looked deep into his eyes. She could see the lust behind them as his eyes caressed her face, her eyes, her lips, and instinctively she turned away.  
  
You are dismissed, Karina. he told her softly. And remember, this is only a talent to use as needed.  
  
Um, Folken, she said hesitantly. You still haven't told me how to get into the mind. How am I supposed to search the house if I can't get in?  
  
Just knock on the door, he said with a smile.  
  
§  
  
No, a flush beats a straight. Jesus, Dalet, don't you know anything?  
  
No, he doesn't. Never had time to learn anything, he's always too busy making sure his hair looks good.  
  
If it helps me get the women, why the hell not?  
  
Do you actually get any women?  
  
This last comment was greeted with loud laughter, and Karina clutched her stomach as the rest of the Slayers laughed with her. They had invited her to play poker with them that night, as was their tradition every night they had free, and it had been a long time since she had heard a more ridiculous game.  
  
Yes, actually I do get women. Or at least more than you do, Miguel. Dalet retorted once he could be heard again.  
  
At least my women aren't my mother!  
  
You bitch! Take it back!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In the struggle that ensued, Miguel got a bloody nose and Dalet a black eye, and nobody in the room could stop laughing.  
  
Karina shouted suddenly. Miraculously, the fighting stopped. They both looked up at her with slightly guilty looks on their faces. Hiding the mischievous smirk that was threatening to show itself on her face she hopped down from the bunk bed and gave each of them a look full of disapproval. she said to Miguel, I thought you would have had the decency to never fight in front of a lady. And you, she turned to Dalet and this time the smile and laughter couldn't be suppressed. What would your mother say?  
  
The Slayers stared at her for a moment and then burst out laughing.  
  
You gotta love this girl, Gatti said, climbing down from his bunk and slinging his arm around her shoulders. Even though she can read our minds and probably fry our brains if she thought hard enough, you gotta love her.  
  
Oh, come one, Gatti, you know I would never fry your brain unless you _really_ pissed me off.  
  
So, Karina—or Kar, can I call you Kar?—how is it here compared to the Mystic Moon?  
  
Karina was silent for a minute as she processed the question. As sad as it was, she was starting to forget the Mystic Moon—_Earth, _she corrected herself quickly. She thought about what she had gone through since she had gotten here, being picked up in the woods, imprisoned, trained to be a telepath, and befriending ruthless killers. And of course nearly being slaughtered by a certain red-eyed general.  
  
Here is... great.  
  
A/N: Review for me, pretty please makes puppy eyes please please please realizes nobody is listening never mind, but please review anyway.


	7. The Reading

Chapter 7: The Reading

A/N: Hey everybody, sorry this took me forever to get up, but I've been crazy busy.

The pounding on her door woke her, reverberating through her brain with a vengeance. Karina sat up slowly, wishing she didn't have to make her muscles work again. It had been so comfortable in her bed.

Came a voice she knew all too well. Get up. You're wanted in the dungeons. she asked groggily, her brain trying to make sense of why she would be wanted down there.

Yes, dungeons. Now let's go.I need to get dressed, it might be a minute.

Karina turned to her wardrobe and started at the sound of her door opening. Dilandau came in through the open door and marched up to her, looking down at her with an expression of disdain she had learned to hate. Karina stared at him, wondering what he was doing in her bedroom when she didn't recall asking him to come in.

What the hell are you doing in here? she asked, not all too patient with the General at this moment.

Helping you to get dressed faster. And with that he grabbed the bottom of her shirt and in one deft motion pulled it off over her head.

For a moment Karina stood staring at him, half furious that he should have the audacity to do such a thing, half thankful that she had already put on her bra.

What the hell do you think you're doing, bastard?! she shrieked, snatching the shirt from him and clutching it tightly to her.

Spare me your blushes, woman. You're not the first I've seen without clothing.Who would strip for you? she snapped, grabbing another shirt and pulling it on with more force than was strictly necessary.

Would you really like to know? he challenged, a laugh in his blood-red eyes.

I'd rather kiss a pig. she told him, pulling a pair of pants out of the drawer and stalking to the bathroom. On second thought, she added after a moment, looking him up and down, I'd most definitely not like to kiss you, so nevermind. With that she shut the door, and giggled to herself behind the thick wood, waiting for him to figure out what she'd said.

He was quick, so it took him but a moment, and he had to work to keep from slicing through the wood and tearing her to pieces. Instead he paced outside the door, getting progressively more angry as he went over all the offenses she had done him in his head.

Karina came out after a few minutes, her hair pulled back properly and a look of haughty triumph on her face. I'm ready, she said brightly.

Let's go, woman. He led the way out the door and she followed, keeping a step or two behind him so he wouldn't lose his temper.

Where are we going? she asked suspiciously, wondering if maybe Dilandau had finally lost all restraint and decided to kill her.

I already told you. To the dungeons. His tone was one of somebody who had borne far too much already, and his fingers brushed wistfully against the hilt of his sword. God he wanted to kill her. Or maim her or something involving pain.

But why?Didn't anybody tell you? It's your first job.

Karina stopped walking. Your first job. he repeated, stopping when he realized she was no longer following him. A smirk lit his face at her expression, and he stepped closer to her. Are you afraid, woman? His voice was low, taunting, and he grinned as she took a small step back. Do you fear rifling through someone else's mind?

Karina didn't answer, not trusting her own voice. She had been here only a month. She didn't want to read anybody's mind, didn't want to take a walk in a house she had basically broken into.

Dilandau rolled his eyes. She was wasting his time, standing there and staring stupidly off into space. Roughly he grabbed her arm and began pulling her down the hallway, ignoring her pained protests and the nails she dug into his hand.

They made it to the dungeons in very little time, despite Karina's constant struggles. Dilandau wondered at his own restraint. Had anybody else irritated him that much he would have killed them on the spot. Damn girl.

Folken was waiting in one of the cells with the prisoner. Karina found it hard to look at him. He had been so nice to her—she had almost managed to convince herself that she might not need to ever interrogate anybody.

Karina. I'm glad you came. he said softly, rising and taking her hands in his.

She pulled them away. Like I had a choice. she muttered bitterly. Now what am I supposed to do?This Oracle is from Asturia, Folken began, gesturing to the man bound to the chair. He knows something we need to know—whether Asturia is planning an assault against us or not. He is being difficult, so if you wouldn't mind taking a peek in that future-seeing head of his and telling us what we need to know, we would all be very grateful. His calm smile didn't have the soothing effect it usually did on her,a nd Karina found herself wanting to run away.

Yes, Strategos. she replied, reverting to his formal title.

Karina took a seat across from the Oracle and surveyed the man before her. He was just a normal-looking man, not too tall, with kind dark eyes and curly hair. She wondered what mistake he had made that had gotten him captured.

You may begin, Karina. Folken prompted gently.

Closing her eyes, Karina took the man's hand and tried to remember all she had been taught. You must be touching the person—no mind can be read without direct physical contact. You must concentrate—any kind of break in such concentration could be disastrous for both the reader and the read. God, there seemed to be so much more to remember now that she was actually here. Not that reading a mind would be that complicated, from what Folken had told her. It was the getting into it that worried her. _Just knock on the door_. That's what he had told her, but it couldn't possibly be that simple. Nothing in life was ever that simple.

Karina took a deep breath and concentrated on the man in front of her, feeling herself slip into his consciousness. A house stood before her, a large, charming Victorian house with a balcony overlooking the front yard. She slowly walked up the steps that led to the front door and stopped, looking at the knocker that was set into the narrow door. With a shaking hand she grasped the handle and knocked three times. The sound echoed throughout her brain, making her ears ring. For a moment nothing happened, and she wondered if maybe she would have to break in through one of the first story windows. Then the door opened and she was surprised to see a butler, dressed in a fine black suit and bearing a smiling countenance.

May I help you, Miss? he inquired politely, and Karina wondered suddenly if she were doing this whole thing wrong and making it up in her head.

Um, yes actually, she began, wondering why she couldn't seem to see any of the house behind the butler. I was wondering if I could have a look around.I'm afraid the house is closed. My master doesn't like people disturbing his rest.I won't take very long. I just wanted to look. It's such a beautiful house. Karina smiled her sweetest smile and mentally prayed that this would work.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave. The master doesn't accept visitors to this house.Please, I won't—

Karina was cut off by a very sharp knife being pressed to her throat. The butler smiled at her politely and pressed it a little harder into her flesh. I'm asking you to leave, now, Miss. Good day.

The door was shut on her, the hollow click sounding much too loud in her head, and she opened her eyes to see Folken and Dilandau watching her intently.

Folken said quietly.

I couldn't get in. she told him truthfully, recalling the cold knife and the equally frigid smile of the butler.

Couldn't or wouldn't try harder? Dilandau snapped, disdain obvious in his voice. Good lord, this woman wasn't good for anything. He couldn't kill her and she couldn't seem to do her damn job either.

Remember, Karina, Folken told her gently. The people in the mind cannot harm you, you're special. I'd like you to try again. she snapped, deciding that when this was over she wasn't going to speak to this man for awhile.

Again Karina closed her eyes, took the man's hand, and searched for the Victorian house. She found it faster this time, and looked dubiously at the front door. She walked up the front steps once more, the feeling of déja-vu heavy and depressing—she hoped that it wouldn't play out exactly as it had last time. Again she knocked on the door and was greeted by the same butler.

Miss, I'd really rather not have to ask you again to leave. The master isn't accepting visitors and if you insist on disturbing this house, I fear you will regret it infinitely.

How was she supposed to get past this obnoxious butler? He was blocking her way in, and she didn't think it would be a good idea to try sneaking in through a window. _Remember, Karina, the people in the mind cannot harm you, you're special_. Okay, so if she was so special then why couldn't she figure out how to get in? She could just tell him to get out of her way, she guessed, since they couldn't harm her. She grinned a little. She was going to pull a Dilandau.

Miss, please—I don't think I asked you to speak, servant. she snapped in what she hoped was an appropriately venemous voice. Now get out of my way, before I kill you. And I don't kill quickly.But my master doesn't receive visito—If you don't get out of my way, the only thing your master will be receiving is your rather deformed corpse. Now move. she ordered, putting as much of the terrifying tone Dilandau managed so easily into the command.

To Karina's amazement, he stepped aside, letting her pass into the dark corridor. From here, Karina wasn't entirely sure what to do. She had managed to get in, but now how was she supposed to know what was what?

She began to walk down the hall trying doors at random. They were all unlocked, and though the contents looked fascinating, she didn't pause to analyze the rooms. Since what she was looking for was secret, she supposed that it would be in a locked room. All the doors on the first floor were locked so she proceeded up the stairs, wincing at the creak of the wood under her feet.

The first door on the landing was unlocked, but the second wasn't. Karina smiled, elated at her first sign of success. Grimly she pushed on the door and growled in frustration when it refused to open._ God I wish I had thought to ask how to get into the locked rooms._ she thought bitterly. She raised her hands and pressed them against the solid wood, leaning her body weight against it and seeing if it would do anything.

With a shriek she fell through the door and landed face-first on the floor. _Well, _she thought sarcastically, _that worked._ She slowly got to her feet, wincing as she felt her stinging cheek. She was in a small dark room, the dim light in the ceiling barely enough light to see at all. There was a chair in one corner and a portrait on the wall, but that was all the furnishings the room possessed.

Karina went over to the portrait, fascinated by the picture she saw portrayed there. There were two robots fighting on a great field, surrounded by bodies of men and corpses of the great metal machines—_Guymelefs_, Karina corrected herself. She recognized the Ziabach guymelefs, but had never seen the others that lay there. _I guess that answers their question about whether they're going to attack._ she thought grimly, turning to leave. A piece of paper on the chair caught her eye, and she stopped to examine it more closely. All it read was, _27 of the 5th moon._ What the hell was that about. Karina picked it up quickly and left, exiting the house with no trouble from the butler.

She opened her eyes again to see Folken had gone and Dilandau was sitting in his place.

he asked with a little smirk. Could you get in this time?They're going to attack.I don't know. But I found this. Karina handed the slip of paper over to him with a little bit of reluctance. She didn't want to give over such valuable information to somebody she detested so much.

One of Dilandau's slim, platinum eyebrows rose as he scanned the slip of paper she had found in the mind of the Oracle who sat unconscious before them.

That's good. he said, more to himself than to her. He looked at her before he left the cell and smirked again. That was good work, he told her, and she wondered if he was actually complimenting her, for a Mystic Moon bitch. he finished.

_I guess a compliment or even a semblance of decency was a bit too much to ask._ she though bitterly.

She looked across the table to the unconscious Oracle. You too, huh? she asked the sleeping form. You're not alone, buddy. I never wanna do this again either.

A/N: Please review for me because I adore you. Both flames and praise are appreciated. :)


	8. The Demon and the Guilt

Chapter 7: The Demon and the Guilt  
A/N: Hey all, there was an important detail in the last chapter which I left out, so if you reread the scene where she goes into the guy's mind, there it is. Anyway, I've been a writing fiend for a little while (yay it's break!) so I hope you like it. :)

Karina leaned back into the steaming water that filled the tub and sighed as the scalding heat permeated her body. She never wanted to go through that again. Ever. So what if she was the best telepath on Gaea, she didn't want to do this. The images were still in her mind, the feelings. Terror, determination, bravery, not that any of these had a chance against her. She was a telepath; it was her job to get through, and goodness knew she had gotten through. She closed her eyes, remembering pieces of that day, and grabbed the scrubbing brush that sat next to the claw-foot tub. She began to scrub, wishing she could wash away the feeling of horror, and worse the feeling of power, that she had been feeling ever since yesterday.

She couldn't even be permitted to forget it. No, they had to come into her room, the Dragonslayers all asking her ridiculous questions about what it had been like to read somebody's mind, and then she'd had to relive it all again with Folken. That hadn't been fun. It was fascinating, admittedly, and a little enjoyable, holding onto his large, gentle hands and connecting with his mind. But it hadn't been any fun relaying through images what she had seen and found out.

And of course there was Dilandau, who had been ruthlessly taunting her about her aversion to reading people's minds. He had been making absolutely sure that she knew just what he thought of her; she was a stupid, spineless bitch apparently, not that it really bothered her. She had actually been learning to deal quite well with Dilandau. He was really a bit of a child, whining and teasing and throwing a tantrum when things didn't go his way.

Karina shook her head and put down the scrubbing brush, wincing as the hot water made her realize she had scrubbed her back raw. Gently she reached behind her and touched the tender skin. There was a little bit of blood on her fingers, and she decided her bath wasn't as relaxing as she'd meant it to be. She stood up and looked at her back in the full length mirror at one end of the bathroom. The top of it was indeed bloody, the viciousness of her scrubbing apparent in the deep scratches. _Not that I don't deserve it_, she thought bitterly. _I had no right to do such a terrible thing._

_It's not like you really had a choice,_ a reasonable part of her mind argued. _After all, they would have killed you had you not consented._

_I did too have a choice. And come on, it's not like Folken would have me killed, as close as we've become._

Are you sure?

The disturbing part of it was, Karina wasn't sure. So she pushed these upsetting thoughts away and pulled on her clothes, not bothering to dry off all the way. She hadn't done an honorable thing, it was true, reading the man's mind, but the least she could do was go to see Folken and find out what was going to be done with him now. She hoped they would just let him go. But she had the feeling that Ziabach wasn't willing to let such a security risk.

Karina stepped out her door and walked quickly down the hall toward the throne room, where she knew Folken would be, pulling on her belt as she went. She wasn't even sure he had actual rooms; he seemed to exist completely in that giant chamber. It took her only a little while to get there, for her quarters were quite near the throne room, and she didn't bother to knock but instead imperiously threw open the doors and strode in.

Folken was sitting on the throne in the middle of the room, and for some odd reason, Karina had the strangest impression that he was surrounded by cloaked figures rather than genuine darkness. But the notion was fleeting and she ignored it as she walked closer to him.

she said stiffly, not forgetting that it was his orders which had made her perform the horrid task. Her bow was so slight it was barely visible, and a small smile on his face showed that he regarded with a good deal of amusement her frigid manner.

Yes, Karina? he said in the smooth, sensuous voice which he used when saying anything.

Karina frowned at the flutter that caused her heart, and stood straighter in an attempt to remind herself what she was here to do. Strategos, I have a question I'd like to ask, if—Karina, dear, by all means ask your question, but I thought we had taken care of this absurd habit of calling be Strategos. He got up at this question and walked up to her, looking down at her with a warm smile and a bit too much warmth in his eyes for her comfort. I'm Folken, remember?

How could she forget? Yes, Folken, she said once she had managed to recover her voice again. I wanted to know what is to be done with the prisoner now that I've—now that your question has been answered.Ah, yes, the Oracle from Asturia. Well, he will naturally be released from his prison. What else would we do with a prisoner we've no more use for? Karina said, the relief obvious in her voice. I'm glad to know that he will be free to live his life. She turned to leave and smiled back at him. Thank you, Folken.You're welcome, Karina. he told her as she left. An ironic smile lit his face for a moment as the door closed behind her. But when did I say he'd live?

Outside the door Karina smiled a little, relieved that the man would be able to get on with his life and maybe even forget about his stay on the Vione. That was all she could ask for really. What was done was done, and though she would have liked to take back her interrogation of the prisoner, she was glad at least that not much evil had come of it.

So deep were her thoughts that she didn't watch where she was going, and as she turned a corner, ran straight into somebody. A little gasp of surprise escaped her as she stumbled into a very solid chest, and strong arms kept her from falling.

Watch where you're going, wench. A sharp voice snapped into her ear as she attempted to recover her balance. Karina looked up into the deep red eyes of the General and frowned—it was just her luck that she would have to meet with him right after she had received good news.

Dilandau looked down at the girl who had so stupidly run into him and smirked (A/N: he seems to do that a lot, doesn't he?). Good god, couldn't this woman do anything? Not apparently. Even walking was too much for her to handle, which was why he was now holding her up. He frowned. Why the hell was he holding her up? Roughly he pushed her away, annoyed that he had let the bitch get so close to him.

Why don't you watch where you're going, bastard? she retorted once she managed to stand up on her own.

The sound of the slap was magnified by the empty corridor, and Karina's head snapped to the side with the impact. To her credit, she didn't cry out, but as soon as the stinging receded a little she lifted her hand to slap him back.

Dilandau caught her wrist when her hand was mere centimeters away from his face. Sorry, woman, but I don't let people like you touch me, though I'm sure you want to... I bet you'd like me to touch you too.Yes. I definitely want you to touch me. Karina said sarcastically, trying to work her wrist out of his very firm grip. I need you so bad, please, take me and take me hard.

Dilandau would admit that the girl had spirit—spirit he wanted to break. I could, he whispered softly, leaning closer to her and delighting in the way she squirmed futilely to get away. I could easily take you and nobody would dare to stop me having my way with you—nor would they want to.The Dragonslayers would stop you.You're a fool if you think that. Their loyalty lies with me and nobody else. They would not save some stupid wench like you from my wishes. Besides, he added, pulling her a little closer. I have a feeling you would like it.

Karina cringed as he pulled her closer, knowing he was only doing it to piss her off but finding it terrifying nonetheless. She didn't think that he would have the audacity, or the inhumanity, to carry out such a threat, but she couldn't be sure. She leaned forward with malice in her eye, and whispered three words very clearly into his ear. In your dreams.

Dilandau pushed her away in disgust, more with himself than with her. Why had he wasted so much time threatening her? And with threats that couldn't possibly have given him any pleasure had he chosen to carry them out? In my nightmares, more like. he said disdainfully, letting her wrist go and stepping away from her. It was disturbing how close to her he had gotten, how near he had come, not to carrying out his threat, but to—

Do you think you could move? Karina asked after a moment. The strange look on Dilandau's face was disturbing her far more than his bloodthirsty look did, and she was willing to do quite a bit to snap him out of it. I kind of need to get past to get to the kitchens, and you're blocking my way.

Dilandau looked at her and then at the five feet of space on either side of him. Why do you need to go the kitchens? he snapped, realizing that her telling him to move was just to irritate him. She was good at that.

I'm going to celebrate a little, and I hear they have some really good scotch. he said sarcastically, you really enjoyed delving into that poor Oracle's mind didn't you? Though his tone was mocking, her words were more than a little worrisome. He didn't like the thought of her liking to read people's minds randomly, especially not his.

No, dumbass. she replied coldly. Because he's leaving, and I'm glad to know that he didn't have to be tortured to get the information.Leaving? The prisoner's leaving? How was he supposed to get his anger out if the prisoner left?

she said, in a tone that said very clearly duh.' He's going to be released, since he's served his purpose. Dilandau repeated blankly.

Yes. I just went and asked Folken. Oh, poor Dilandau. Now—I was noticing the dungeons are a little bare of people—you don't have _anyone_ to torture do you? But her taunting seemed to go unnoticed, and she was irritated to find he was laughing. What the hell are you laughing at?Folken told you.So what?Folken told you that the prisoner was going to be released and you believed him? God you are a fool. Dilandau continued laughing, absurdly pleased that she had been so stupid.

What are you talking about? she demanded as he continued to chuckle.

Good god, woman, the man practically tries to seduce you every single time you see him and then you actually believe him when he tells you a prisoner is being released? He's just trying to get you into his bed faster, if you haven't already been there. He saw the confusion and betrayal on her face, and continued. What, surprised that good, wonderful Folken should lie to you? The truth is, woman, that the prisoner is going to be executed tomorrow morning. Karina's voice came out much smaller than she had wished it to, the hurt she was feeling making it barely above a whisper. How could he have lied to her like that? How could she have believed him? Dilandau was a bastard, and she had no doubt that he would lie to her to cause her pain, but she couldn't escape the ring of truth to what he said.

Dilandau was surprised and a little irritated to find himself not entirely happy at her pain. It should have caused him joy, should have made him leap about with the beauty of it, but instead he just felt a bit cold. _Damn energists,_ he cursed to himself. _They can make a hunk of stone fly, they can power machines, but they can't heat a frickin hallway._

He spoke to her again in an effort to make her get that ridiculous look of sadness off her face. But you never know. he said, trying to make the indifference in his voice sound genuine. You could always ask him not to be killed, and the Strategos might even listen. He laughed. Or he might just tell you to get over it and kill him anyway, but hey, it's your decision. With that he left, desperate to get out of their since, for the first time he could remember, he had been conscious of a desire to comfort another human being.

Five minutes after he had left Karina still stood there, trying to decide what to do. Hell, she didn't know if there was anything she could do. What was she supposed to do, run in with her meager sword skills and break him free, then fly a guymelef which she had never even touched?

But she couldn't let him die. She didn't want to let him die. It was just unfair.

An idea began to form in her mind, an idea that though it had little prayer of working, would at least give the man a chance of escape. Karina turned on her heel and walked toward the cafeteria, outside of which the schedule for the Dragonslayers was posted. It showed when they would train, when they had special drills to do... when they had to guard various parts of the Vione.

Karina grinned as she thought of the reaction of both Dilandau and Folken if the prisoner escaped. Dilandau would be furious, and he would know it was her—if he believed she had the spine for it. Folken would have his suspicions, but he wouldn't accuse her because he wouldn't be able to. After all, it wasn't as if she was going to leave any evidence behind her. What was in the mind stayed in the mind. For most people.

Karina checked the schedule as she reached the doors to the cafeteria and read it again and again, making sure she had the information correctly in her head. Chesta and Dalet were on guard duty tonight in the dungeons. Dalet would take his break first because Chesta was too nice for his own good, and everybody knew that Dalet would take a longer than necessary break to flirt with the servants. Lucky for her, Chesta couldn't hold his liquor, and with a little spiked drink as a gesture of kindness, he would be out of the picture too.

The next thing Karina did was to head to the dungeons. The prisoner would be there, she knew, probably with a very definite idea of what was going to happen to him, if Dilandau had been threatening him, and she needed to see him.

Karina stopped before she stepped into the dungeons and stood a little taller, making sure her clothing was in order. She had to look commanding if she was going to be allowed to see a prisoner without an escort.

A soldier she didn't know was currently guarding the dungeons; he was part of the unit of soldiers below the Dragonslayers, the sub-elite. Karina marched up to him and looked him over coldly, hoping she looked appropriately authoritative.

she addressed him shortly. I will see the Oracle from Asturia, if you would lead me to his cell.

The soldier looked at her with a hint of confusion on his face. Milady, I have orders not to let anybody but the Strategos and the General in to see the prisoner.Well then you will let me in anyway, before I get angry. Karina did her best evil glare and hoped it would have the slightest effect on him. Not that she expected it would. If he had been around Dilandau at all, nobody's evil glare would have an effect on him.

I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave, Milady. The soldier said reasonably, taking her arm and guiding her to the door again. I'll escort you to your chambers if you wish.

Karina changed tactics. she murmured softly, glancing up at him through her lashes. I just-I want to make sure he's comfortable before he's, before he— she broke off then and made a convincing little whimper, praying that the crying damsel in distress would work better.

The soldier sighed and turned her around. All right, but you can't see him for more than three minutes. I'll escort you and make sure you don't leave too late.Oh thank you! she cried with a genuine amount of enthusiasm. But I'm sure I don't need an escort. All I'm going to do is talk to him, after all.

He conceded and she walked through the corridor to the only occupied cell. The others looked like nothing like representations she had seen in movies. There were no bones stuck in chains in the walls, no decaying skulls grinning at her from behind the bars. It was all spotless. But from what she knew of Folken that was to be expected. He liked things clean.

The prisoner gasped and scooted to the back of his cell when he saw her coming towards him and Karina prepared herself for a lot of arguing. It he had this reaction just seeing her, what was he going to say when she told him she was going to help him?

she whispered, not knowing his real name. I need to talk to you.Go away, Mind-walker. he said frigidly, terror and adrenaline making his voice tremulous.

I'm trying to help you. she told him gently. I want to help you out of the—predicament you are currently in.What are you saying?You realize you're going to be executed tomorrow morning, don't you? she asked him bluntly.

I do not fear death. he said defiantly, not coming any closer.

Well you may not fear it, but you might fear getting tortured to death by a very sadistic General.I fear neither death nor pain.Whatever. Look, do you want to die?

He hesitated before answering. Well I can solve your problem, or at least give you a chance, but I need you to trust me.

He scooted forward a little. Why should I trust you?What the hell am I supposed to do to you? Nothing I could do would any worse than what he'll do to you. So give me a chance. The last came out as a plea, and she hoped he would let her try to help him—she only had a minute left.

All right.Good. Come here.

The man came to the bars of the cage, and looked at her expectantly, if not a little warily.

Gently Karina placed her hands on his, and said softly, as she tried to find his mind again, Now listen very closely.

∞§∞

The cloaked figure paced the room, the long swathe of dark fabric covering his form barely making a noise as he restlessly moved back and forth. His face was shrouded in shadow, but it was obvious that he was thinking, a grave matter troubling his normally self-assured mind.

The figure finally spoke, his voice sounding much too loud in the silence of the chamber.

Yes, my Lord?Your mistake was lamentable.My Lord, as far as I can see, I made no mistake.You should have guarded the prisoner better. Nobody has ever escaped the Vione.One has.Nobody other than your brother has, and that was some years ago.

Folken was silent this time, wondering what the Sorcerer was thinking.

The presence of the telepath is dangerous. The Sorcerer finally said, turning and looking at Folken, for the first time stopping his incessant pacing. We cannot be sure when she will turn against us.You were the one who told me to find her in the first place.Yes, I did. He paused, and ran a nervous hand through his hair, pulling back the hood of the cloak. But the fact is that it wasn't our power that brought her here. We have only ever seen this kind of transportation once before, and that was when the other woman from the Mystic Moon appeared.

Again Folken said nothing, but instead looked away, out the window and to the mysterious planet that the Lord was speaking of.

Nothing like this escape may ever happen again. Is that understood, Strategos?

Folken looked back at the man and inclined his head a little in agreement. Yes, my Lord.

A/N: Who wants to review for me? I know you do! So pretty please do. Oh yay that rhymed.


	9. The Uniform and the Gloves

Chapter 8: The Uniform and the Gloves

A/N: I think this chapter might be a bit shorter than the last one, and I'm sorry, but this just doesn't have as much to it. Also I'm sorry if this one isn't as entertaining as the last one, but it's necessary I promise.

Karina was summoned to a meeting with Folken the morning after the escape of the prisoner. She had half expected it, half dreaded it really, but the idea of him finding out hadn't seemed so terrible when she had been in her righteous state of mind and determined to get the prisoner out.

In the throne room Folken was pacing, and Karina was a little surprised to see him giving in to so nervous a gesture. It was unlike him to pace, and she bit her lip, realizing that she was the cause.

he said shortly, the usual sensual tone gone from his voice. He wasn't here to flirt with her. That was a bit upsetting in itself. He didn't even smile at her—she had never before seen him angry enough not to smile at her.

Yes, Folken?I have a little problem. He wasn't looking at her and for once she wasn't sure she wanted him too.

Yes, Folken? She was using his name again in an effort to appease him; she didn't need the man who held the strings to her life to suddenly decide she wasn't worth it.

The prisoner escaped last night.I'm sorry.This doesn't appear to surprise you. he said, finally looking up and pinning her under an unusually cold gaze.

It does surprise me. I've never known the Dragonslayers to fail in the simple task of guarding a prisoner. God, she was talking like she had been here a year when in reality it had only been a little over a month.

That's because they never have. He paused and frowned, as if recalling a memory better left buried. And I'm wondering how it happened. It was a very interesting escape, and very clever on the prisoner's part. He seemed to know all the guard schedules and the pass codes to the guymelefs. And the lock codes to the guymelef hangar. I wonder how he knew that?I'm not sure what you're implying, Strategos, she said coldly, adding a frigid dignity to her voice. I was in my bedroom all last night, you can check the lock codes on my door to make sure. And I wouldn't betray your trust. I know what would happen if I did, she added softly.

Folken looked down at her from his throne and stood, walking toward with an odd look on his face.

So the reason you don't betray me is because you fear what will happen to you if you do? his voice was soft, sensual as it always was, and there was an unspoken question behind the words.

Karina said nothing, not entirely trusting her voice. He had a hand on her cheek now, the real hand, the soft hand and his thumb was gently running along her cheekbone.

You're not faithful to me for some other reason, perhaps? Her voice was softer than she had meant it to be, gentler, and without the dignity her previous statements had held.

He was quiet again, looking down at her with the same strange look on his face. Karina was surprised to notice that along with the thrill that went through her at being looked at like that by him, there was also a tiny shiver of fear that went down her spine.

I believe you, he said finally. But there is some other business we must take care of. He paused. It has occurred to me that you might need a uniform. And possibly some gloves, he added as an afterthought.

Karina was confused. Why should she need gloves? Gloves are simply part of the uniform, Karina. We can't have you reading everybody's minds now, can we? There was an edge to his voice that Karina didn't like.

You don't trust me. Karina was irritated to find that there was obvious hurt in her voice.

I don't trust anyone, Karina, he told her bluntly. But I do care about what happens to you. This is for your protection as much as anything. There are things in the minds of others that would very likely kill you if you hadn't the training to withstand it. He smiled at her and once more brought his hand to her cheek. I would hate for anything to happen to you.

For once Karina didn't find herself melting under his touch. She stepped back deliberately and pulled his hand away from her cheek. Yeah. Sure. Whatever. With that she turned and walked out as quickly as she could before she completely broke down. When the doors shut behind her the tears that had been threatening to spill finally did.

How could he do this to her? He was putting her in a cage, even more of a cage than she already was. He didn't trust her and if he had really cared about her at all he would never have told her she had to have gloves.

Karina sighed and walked slowly back to her room, hoping she didn't run into anybody on the way. Especially not Dilandau. She didn't want to explain to him of all people why she looked so damn depressed. Plus he would enjoy it. And she had no intention of giving him any enjoyment.

She mindlessly punched in the lock code to her room and stepped in, rubbing her suddenly stiff neck. They probably wouldn't have the uniform ready for her for a while, considering that they still hadn't gotten her her own armor in case the Vione was attacked. She would enjoy her freedom while she had it.

Wandering over to her enormous bed she froze, catching sight of a neatly folded set of clothing on top of her pillow.

And on top was pair of gloves.

A/N: Yeah that was really short. But the next chapter gets more interesting. Review if you love me, or if you hate me, come to think of it.


	10. The History and the Eyes

Chapter 9: The History and the Eyes  
A/N: Hello all. I'm so sorry this took me so long to update. But school/life has been crazy. Crazy crazy. Anyhoo. Some things to some specific people before I start.

Sakura Shinguji-Albatou: Thanks for the spelling correction and the thing about the energists—dopey me forgot! Folken is a little bit different than the series and the movie, but with good reason I promise. And in this, Dilandau's status as a General will be explained.

I'll Be Seein' You: I love you for reviewing and loving me. And I love Dilandau too.

Cala Akina Morushiku: I'll try to update more but I have a hugely crazy and busy schedule and no life. And I am most definitely checking out The Phantom. I'll review for ya. ;)

BGR: I'm glad it's fascinating. I try, but I'm never sure if I'm successful.

And here we go with the actual story...

Dilandau strode down the hall with his usual air of smug dignity, but today there was a look of unparalleled joy to it as well. It was a rare thing to see Folken as angry as he had been when he found out the prisoner had escaped, and an even rarer thing to see him pacing. He was worried and fear was something Dilandau loved. He loved the smell of it in the air, the look of it on a trapped animal's face, the taste of it in the blood... he especially liked it when Folken was afraid.

Not that he hadn't been upset that the prisoner had escaped. He had been upset. Extremely upset. He remembered with little joy the priceless sculptures he had smashed in the library and the servants' blood he had smeared all over the floor. Yes, it had irritated him. Because that never happened. Never, in his entire life, had somebody escaped from the Vione, except for once... Dilandau's fingers gently traced the scar on his cheek and his eyebrows snapped together in a familiar, brooding frown. Only _he_ had ever gotten away, and then only because of the Mystic Moon bitch. The day he had been scarred. The Dragon had never had to pay in full for his audacity.

Dilandau shook his head and turned his thoughts back to the matter at hand. He was walking toward her bedroom; he wanted nothing more than to find out how the hell she had managed to piss Folken off so badly. And get him so worried.

And he wanted to know how the hell she had gotten past his Dragonslayers and helped the prisoner escape. He had almost managed to convince himself that that was the only reason he wanted to be there, that there was no ulterior motive he had. The truth was he wanted to see if he had been wrong about her, about her being just a weak, incompetent woman with no spine, to see if she could possibly be worthy enough for him to—for him to kill her.

Dilandau shook his head in slight confusion at the direction he thought his thoughts had been going and suddenly realized he was standing in front of her door. He frowned at the fact that her door had a lock code on it and raised his hand irritably to knock. His loud rapping was answered with a snap.

Go away, whoever you are or I'll cut off your balls and have them for shish ke bab.

Dilandau smirked. She was kind of funny when she was pissed. He knocked again.

Do I really have to say it again? I am in no mood for visitors so go the hell away before I figure out how to blow somebody's mind up from the inside.

He was irritated to find a little curl or worry in his stomach when she said that. He didn't need his brain blowing up in any way, though he doubted she could do it, even if she did figure it out. She didn't have the power.

It's General Albatou. Let me in, he commanded sternly, hoping that the authority in his voice would get through the metal of the door.

Let me think—NO!Woman, this is an order from your superior. Open the door _now._

There was a brief silence from the other side of the door. And what are you going to do if I tell you to go screw yourself, which is what I'm planning to do?I'm going to break this fucking door down! he shouted, finally losing his temper. He could probably do it, if he were pissed enough. _And the way she's acting, _he thought irritably, _I'll be pissed enough._

she snapped. Come in.

The door opened with a metallic hiss and he stepped in, ready to smack her for having the nerve to disobey him for so long. But the sight of her stopped him. She was standing by the window, glaring out over the world, and she was wearing a uniform of black. The coat was military styled, high necked and long-sleeved, and sleek silver buttons snapped up its double-breasted front. The pants were the same as everybody else's, and her boots were the same soft-soled black that the rest of the Dragonslayer's had.

Only somebody with Dilandau's training in observation would have noticed the gloves and so quickly realized what they were for. They were small and black, dainty like her hands, with silver snaps at the wrist to tighten them. His eyes widened a little. _All that power and she's just letting it be caged?_ He would never let his own power be caged like that. Never would he submit to being a slave for another's purposes.

What do you want? she said crossly, noticing that his eyes had traveled over her body one too many times.

Dilandau said nothing, just watched her as she paced like a panther in a cage.

Have you come to gloat, come to tell me that you knew I'd end up like this, that I've been heading toward this for a while now? I already knew. I knew this would happen. One way or another they wouldn't even let me stay a little bit free. The last was nearly whispered as the depressing reality sunk in. She had realized what had happened to her, yes, but she hadn't yet said it out loud. Somehow it was much worse now that she said it out loud.

he replied. I came to ask you how you did it.

A small smile crossed her face. How I did what, General?How you pissed Folken off so badly. Or more properly, how you helped the prisoner escape. He knew she had done it. There was no way the prisoner had gotten out his own. No escape could possibly be done without outside or inside help. And there had been nobody outside to help.

I have no idea what you mean, she said a little too innocently. She wasn't going to give him the chance to kill her that she knew he wanted so badly. Even if he knew that she had helped the man he couldn't prove it.

Dilandau looked at her with something resembling respect. Too many times he had come across people who were all to quick to spill their secrets. Usually it was their fatal mistake. Fine, keep your secrets. I have no interest in them anyway. she said with a laugh. You'd love to know how he escaped. How your perfect Dragonslayers managed to let him slip past, how he seemed to know your perfect schedule and your perfect Vione like the back of his hand. He is an Oracle, you know. Maybe he saw that he was going to escape and put the pieces together that way.A likely story, he snorted derisively.

It's just as likely as what you seem to be accusing me of. she said reasonably, sitting down in a plush armchair near the window.

You're clever, I'll give you that much. He turned to leave. But nobody's clever forever, and I will catch you as soon as you slip. He smirked. I'm awaiting the day you fall.

Karina's smile faded as he left. Me too, General. Me too.

∞§∞

There was a frown on Karina's face that night at dinner that nobody could miss, a stubbornly unhappy look that not even the best joke Gatti could deliver or the stupidest pick up line Miguel could come up with could erase. The Dragonslayers exchanged looks and then glanced down at the opposite end of the table; Dilandau had the same look on his face. It was amazing how much the two seemed to get on eachother's nerves. The only blessing was that they no longer had to sit next to each other. The Slayers had decided to carefully arrange themselves so that only two seats were left available at opposite ends of the table. They had no desire for bloodshed at dinner.

Karina glared at Shesta as the slayer tried once more to cheer her up. She had no desire to be cheered up. The only thing that would currently cheer her up is if she could take off her damn gloves and blow the General's head up from the inside. That might cheer her up a little.

She had run into Dilandau after her meeting with Folken—it had been about her with her new uniform and it hadn't been the best experience for her. So she had picked up a piece of spare armor that some idiot had left lying around and hurled it out the door.

Her bad mood had nearly been cured when it hit Dilandau in the back of the head.

Unfortunately he had turned around and yelled at her and tried to hit her and then she had thrown something else at him and ran. Luckily for her she had made it to her room before he could kill her, which she was quite sure was his intention. But neither of them were in the most amiable mood right now.

Karina glanced at the General and her scowl deepened; she wanted to throw something at him again. He looked up and his eyes caught hers, holding her gaze with the blood red color that drew her in so easily. He smirked and then mouthed something across the table. It took her a moment to realize what it was.

I won.

Karina would have thrown the dinner plate if it wasn't for Gatti's excellent perception. He gently put his hand down on her plate and gave her a warning look; he knew what Dilandau would do to her if she threw that at him in front of the Dragonslayers. She let out the angry breath she had been holding and instead lifted her left hand and gave him the one finger salute.

Dilandau slammed his hands down on the table and all sound in the hall stopped. He looked around at the Slayers who had frozen so suddenly at his anger and smiled. No matter what, they would always be loyal to him, it was just the way things were.

I'm going to go wash up. Training is at the same time tomorrow. There is also a— Dilandau seemed to have trouble getting his next words out —a memorial service for General Adelphos. It won't interrupt training so don't get your hopes up. Woman. This was directed at Karina and she raised an eyebrow with as much contempt as she could. Tomorrow you will stay for extra training since you don't seem to be able to control your temper. And Folken has a job for you, one that might not actually require you to wear your gloves. With that he left, for once not using violence to show Karina his annoyance.

I can't control my temper! she shouted at the closed door. What the hell is his problem?He has this innate distrust of all women and all telepaths. Guimel said with a shrug. You happen to be both.Yippee for me, she said sarcastically. So other than that, what is it? It's not just me he's an asshole to. Seriously what is his childhood trauma? she added with a laugh.

The Slayers looked at each other and Karina's smile faded; she had meant that part as a joke.

Okay you guys are creeping me out. What's wrong?

Gatti was the first to speak. Dilandau is not exactly a normal man.Thanks for the revelation.

Gatti laughed at her sarcasm and continued. What I mean is that he didn't exactly have a normal childhood.What happened to him? Could there really be something bad enough that it had turned him into the bloodthirsty bastard he was now?

We don't actually know anything about him until he turned ten, Shesta said in the soft way he did everything.

That's when he was discovered by the Sorcerers and Emperor Dornkirk. Gatti told her, an angry edge creeping into his voice.

Who are they? Karina had never heard about them, not even in her studies with Folken about the history of this planet.

The Sorcerers worked for Emperor Dornkirk, and they did experiments on Dilandau that— that changed him.

Guimel spoke up now. We don't really know what he was like before that time, but we do know what he is now. Believe it or not, he's not nearly as bad as he used to be.

Karina raised an eyebrow. He isn't exactly a picnic now.No, but he doesn't kill quite as many people as he used to. Dallet pointed out.

Miguel, who had been uncharacteristically silent, spoke now. When he used to attack places, the streets would literally run with blood. He loved it. He reveled in the destruction of life and the color and taste of death.Actually you're rather lucky he isn't still that way. Gatti said with a laugh.

Because then you'd already be dead. He doesn't like to put up with things that frighten him or irritate him. And you do both.

Shesta looked at Karina for a moment, a curious expression on his face. Actually I'm rather surprised he hasn't killed you anyway.

Karina smiled. I think it's because he worries that I can kill him with my mind.

Despite her humor, his expression didn't change. I don't think that's it.

Karina waited for him to elaborate, but he didn't, so she let it go. She'd figure it out eventually. She got up to leave the hall and bid them all goodnight. Thanks guys. That helped. It really did. Goodnight.

She left and began the walk back to her chambers, a smile hovering at the corners of her mouth. She had much to think about. _I think it's time to find out who exactly these Sorcerer's are, and what the hell they have to do with everything, _she thought. Because she was sure that whatever questions she had, they had the answers.

a soft voice called her name and she turned around, wondering which of the Dragonslayers were playing a joke on her. She hated these corridors enough without one of them showing up to terrify her.

Her boots made almost no noise on the cold floor as she padded her way softly back to her room. The corridor was quiet, silent but for the sound of her breathing and the distant echo of the Dragonslayers' laughter. Ahead of her, a door stood slightly ajar and she frowned. Nobody ever left the doors in this place open; it simply wasn't done. She moved closer, wanting to see what was in it since it was so conveniently open.

A flash of color as she neared startled her and she peered closer again, trying to see what had disappeared so quickly. She searched the dark room, hardly daring to breathe as she looked for—for—

A pair of eyes looked back at her from the corner of the room, a pair of blue eyes, reflecting the light from the window in the room. Eyes in a woman's face, glorious blue eyes that were looking straight at her and a hand that was lifted and beckoning her to come in—

A sharp voice snapped her out of the trance the woman's eyes had put her into and she jumped back, shutting the door hard as she did so.

I have a name. she retorted as irritably as she could. She didn't want anybody to see how shaken up she was, and especially not Dilandau.

You haven't earned being called by a name yet. he returned with a smirk.

Karina said lamely and began walking down the hall. Unfortunately for her she had to walk by him to get to her room.

Dilandau fell into step beside her since this was the way to his room as well. What were you doing there, woman?I'm really not going to answer you unless you call me by my name. Though in truth she wasn't going to tell him anything.

He paused. he said, the word feeling alien to his tongue, what were you doing there?Honestly, General? she replied archly. I was shutting the door. Karina slid into her room without another word and locked the door, falling onto her bed as soon as she heard the metallic click that meant he couldn't get in.

Dilandau stood frowning outside her door. He began to walk away, toward his own sanctuary. You, Karina, are a lying bitch. he muttered to himself. She really was becoming quite an accomplished liar.

Somehow, he found himself wanting to say her name again. The reasonable part of his mind banished the compulsion instantly, but the other part, the traitorous part, disobeyed. And so the last word on his mind before he fell asleep was, _Karina._


	11. The Twin

Chapter 10: The Twin

A/N: Thanks to the people who reviewed; I love you all boundlessly.

Three days later, Karina woke up early. It was still dark outside, only a hint of grey penetrating her chamber to signal the coming dawn. She never awoke this early, but she couldn't risk the other slayers finding out what she was doing; they would surely report it to Dilandau and that she couldn't afford. She sincerely doubted he would appreciate what she was doing.

Silently she slipped into her uniform and opened her door, wincing as the metallic click as it shut echoed down the hall.

Karina had gone back to the door several times, but each time it had been closed. Not only that, but Dilandau had been watching her closely every time.

A satisfied smirk crossed her face as she thought of the look he'd get if he realized that she had outwitted him. _Stupid bastard deserves a little decrease in ego,_ she thought bitterly, recalling the times he had mocked her with a smile not unlike the one she wore now. It was a little upsetting that he'd never know what she was doing to fool him, but Karina could live with it.

It didn't take her long to reach the door in the middle of the corridor near the mess hall. Her walk there was undisturbed, the silence remained eerie, and when she came to the metal door in the wall she let out a small sigh of relief.

It was shut but she wasn't worried—she had stolen the pass codes to the doors on this corridor earlier in the week.

Hesitantly she typed in the code, looking around warily before she punched in the sequence of numbers and letters. It was one of the stranger passcodes on the Vione, actually, because it actually made sense rather than being a completely random set of characters. Th3 Tw1n C313nA. Karina wasn't sure what it meant, but she was going to find out just as soon as she discovered who it was that resided in this room.

The door opened and the dark opening yawned before her. She couldn't see inside, but she stepped through anyway, determined not to show her fear. She had a feeling that whoever was in here wouldn't harm her; how could it when it had beckoned to her so sweetly the other day?

There wasn't a sound in the room other than Karina's soft breathing, and through the quiet her only warning was the hiss of a blade being drawn.

Before Karina could blink a strong arm was wrapped around her and the cold edge of a knife pressed against her throat.

Drop your weapon, a soft voice hissed in her ear.

Karina might be new at fighting, but she wasn't an idiot. She kept her knife firmly gripped in her hand. One thing she had learned from Dilandau: Rule #1, never drop your weapon.

Drop it, the voice repeated, or I'll add another pretty mark over this one. The knife tapped the thin red line on her neck. Karina let out a low growl, a sound she had learned from the General. The wound was finally almost healed, and she wasn't about to let it get opened again.

Karina rammed her elbow back into the ribs of her attacker and gripped the hand at her throat at the same time, twisting the knife out of its grasp. In the blink of an eye, she was pressing the person against the wall, the knife to its throat.

The voice laughed. Nice try. And suddenly Karina was on the ground, no longer in possession of her knife and trying to figure out where it could have gone. The answer was across the room in the wall, and the girl's knee was pressed painfully into her back. Karina was roughly turned over and a girl peered down at her. Suddenly, her blue eyes widened in surprise, and she stared at her captive.

Karina blinked. Those were the same eyes she had seen just the other day, those which had beckoned her to come in.

Suddenly the woman started laughing, a musical soprano sound completely opposite of the fierce whisper she had let out a moment ago. Karina scrambled back, not entirely certain of the woman's sanity.

Karina, right? the blond asked casually, as if they hadn't just nearly killed eachother. She flopped into a deep armchair and smiled up into Karina's confused face.

Karina gave as weak reply.

It's really nice that you decided to come and find me, the girl remarked conversationally. I don't really get to talk to anybody except for him, and he's not the most polite man in the world. Karina said blankly. Whatever she had expected to find here, it wasn't a blond, blue-eyed girl with a talent for knife-fighting.

Dilandau. He doesn't exactly like to carry on the most pleasant conversations in the world. Also, she added with a grimace. I haven't seen a girl in over two years.

Karina just stared at her. she asked finally. Why would anybody choose to be on this Godforsaken ship? And why the hell would anybody choose Dilandau as a friend?

Because I can't really go anywhere. Well, I could, but it's better for me if I don't.Is somebody keeping you here? Karina asked, an almost hopeful glimmer in her eyes. It might be rather nice to not be the only prisoner here.

No, only me.I'm Celena, by the way.I'm Kar—Karina, I know.

Karina looked at her in silence for a moment. The girl was quite lovely, with high cheekbones, full lips, flawless pale skin. What would a girl like this be doing here? Why the hell would you want to be here? she said abruptly.

I don't really. It's just that, if he gets hurt, then so will I.

Celena rolled her eyes. Dilandau, of course. You see, we have this unfortunate physical connection and if one of us gets hurt, so does the other.I don't get it.We were sort of the same person once.The Sorcerers turned me into Dilandau when I was younger, and then we got separated. But nobody else knows so you'd better not tell anybody or I'll slit your throat. She said the last without changing expression, though there was a tiny glimmer in her eye, and Karina could see for a moment the resemblance between her and Dilandau other than the platinum hair.

So if he were to die, so would you.Yes. And I'd rather know if I'm about to die.

Karina could see the logic in that. So you guys are like twins, only connected in a very creepy way. Celena agreed with a chuckle. But it's not like we can feel exactly what the other is feeling. We just know if one of us gets hurt. Then we not only feel the pain, we get the injury. It's a physical kind of connection rather than a telepathic connection. You would know all about telepathic connections.

Karina blushed a little. She was rather embarrassed by her unique ability. Even a complete stranger knew what kind of person she was. What kind of freak she was. I've only read about telepathic connections. she said in her defense.

They're fascinating, aren't they?Yeah, I guess. I just wouldn't like the idea of having somebody know exactly what I was feeling every minute of the day.Usually only the intense feelings get through, unless the people are physically close to eachother, a tiny, knowing smile crossed Celena's face, or unless the telepath and the other person are extremely strong. Then, from what I've read, the connections become rather interesting.Most of the people I've read about have gone insane. As far as I've seen, there's no cure.That's just what the textbooks think. There's always a cure. I've got a twin when I used to be one person, the textbooks didn't predict that, did they?No, I guess they didn't. Karina glanced at the clock in the room and jumped; she would be late for breakfast! Celena, I'm sorry, but I have to go. Dilandau would probably kill me if he knew I knew you.Yes, he very likely would, she agreed, looking thoughtful.

But it was lovely meeting you, gotta go. Karina was halfway out the door when Celena's voice stopped her.

You must come back and visit me, all right? I never get company. I miss seeing people other than my twin.I will. I promise.

Karina left and shook her head, wondering how it was possible that two people who had been the same person could be so different. But then, there was something in Celena's eyes that made her think they might not be so different after all.

A/N: Sorry that was such a short chapter; the next one will be MUCH longer I promise. Hahaha. You have no idea what is coming. Well you might but I can still cackle. BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Love ya, bye!


	12. The Curse of the Mystic Moon

Chapter 11: The Curse of the Mystic Moon

A/N: Thank you all for reviewing for me, it just makes me so very excited. I am jumping and dancing right now with the excitedness.  
**Avian Phoenix:** I love you Avian. You know I do.  
**Jacquei:** Thank you muchly for the suggestions, and don't worry I will have certain information you want shortly.

Karina knew Dilandau was watching her. Every morning when she entered the mess hall she could feel his crimson eyes following her, to her place at the table and all through the meal. They were like lasers, trying to pierce her skin to find out what she was hiding. She hadn't told him that she had met his other half and knew the entire story of his past; she figured he wouldn't take that too well and didn't want to see what his reaction was. He seemed to have a tendency to react rather violently when things didn't go his way. And he most likely wouldn't consider her knowing about him an advantage.

So he watched her, waiting for her to slip up so he would know what she was hiding. Because eventually she would slip up. They both knew it secretly; one can't hide something forever, but for now she was content with visiting Celena in her spare time and having him know nothing about it. She was getting rather used to his eyes on her; it was no longer so unnerving to look up and see him looking at her, trying to penetrate her very soul with a look. Not that he still didn't frighten her—she wondered if she would ever stop being scared of him, but she didn't want to run and hide every time she saw him now.

When Karina tried to enter the training room after breakfast a week after she had made Celena's acquaintance, she found her way blocked by a broad-shouldered albino whose twin she was quickly learning to adore. It was unfortunate that this one was so unpleasant.

She moved to the side and his body mirrored hers; when she tried to slip through on the other side his arm snaked out and prevented her from going further.

What do you want? she snapped irritably. She wasn't in the mood for his stupid mind games or ridiculous habit of doing things just to annoy her.

What do I want? That's an interesting question, he replied thoughtfully.

Karina rolled her eyes and tried to shove him away—god he pissed her off—but his only response was to bring his other arm around, trapping her against the door frame. I _want_ to torture the prisoner that escaped' so conveniently, I _want_ to kick a certain telepath off the Vione, I _want_ to cut out Folken's heart and feed it to a dragon. He smirked at the expression of horror on Karina's face as he mentioned the last one. She believed he would do it; how nice of her to have faith in him. What I currently want to know is where you keep going in the middle of the night. she repeated innocently, knowing she didn't sound genuine and not caring in the least. I haven't been going anywhere.Yes, you have. I'm not stupid Karina, and I have ears.How shocking, she muttered sarcastically.

What was that?Nothing. Now look, Dilandau. I know your paranoia is your _only_ strong suit, but don't you think you're taking it a bit too far? he said honestly. You're the only one who puts your boots on to go out at night; the other slayers have discovered that I have excellent hearing and am an extremely light sleeper, so if they leave with their boots, I will hear them. So they go barefoot. Karina opened her mouth to speak, but her continued, Also you sound different when you walk, like curiosity rather than business.

Karina stared at him for a moment, surprise showing on her face. General, don't look so reflective—people might start thinking you're human.More of them believe I'm human that believe you're human.What's that supposed to mean?Well, it's reasonable to suspect that a woman cursed by the Mystic Moon can't be totally human. he pointed out casually.

Cursed? I'm not cursed.Of course you aren't. Now where have you been going? he repeated once more.

Nowhere. And why would people think I was cursed?No reason, nobody thinks you're cursed. Now tell me where you've been going, I won't ask you again. His tone held a little bit of a threat now, a hint of danger that had before been demanding.

I've already answered.You're a liar.And what if I am?

Dilandau didn't say anything as he stood looking down at her, wondering how best to extract the information. He knew that she was seeing Celena from how emphatically his twin had denied it and how evasive this stupid woman was acting now.

I wonder if people cursed by the Mystic Moon respond well to torture, he said softly, loud enough for her to hear him and to taste a little fear at the thought.

It's doubtful, she returned without missing a beat.

But the process of finding out could be most satisfying. He was speaking as if he was actually considering the idea, and Karina wondered who would stop him if he tried. She hoped the Dragonslayers would, but even if they all tried to stop him, could they?

Or it could just be boring. she pointed out. I mean, really, why torture me when you don't even know if it will work? Then all that time and effort and sharpening of weapons would have just gone to waste and we wouldn't want that now would we? Karina hoped desperately that her rather long, disjointed sentence would appeal to what little sanity resided within him, but she didn't really think it would.

I'd personally like to find out exactly what you respond to, he whispered, and she was unsure whether he was still talking about torture. Somehow the thought of torture was less scary than anything else.

Dilandau, if you would kindly release Karina, I would like to fill her in on your next assignment. Folken's low voice interrupted the conversation, and Karina was relieved that he would spare her from the disturbing behavior of the General.

Something about what he said caught her attention, though. What do you mean by your? she asked as Dilandau released her from her prison between his arms.

I beg your pardon?You said your, and you were talking to Dilandau about filling me in on it, which implies that I will be included in this assignment.

A tiny smile crossed Folken's face in apparent amusement. She wasn't aware that she had said anything funny. Yes, your assignment. You two will be working together for this one. she all but shouted. She blushed a little at her outburst and repeated, a little more softly, You will be reading another prisoner, another Oracle actually, though not one of Asturia. Folken explained gently. His voice was easing her shock and anger a little, but she still didn't understand why she had to associate with Dilandau any more than she had to.

Why does this involve him? She wouldn't be able to tolerate seeing Dilandau any more than she had to.

The prisoner was not able to be transported to the Vione, because of certain interesting abilities, and so you will have to go to the location where she is currently being held. They were interrogating women now too? How kind of them.

Yes, she, the prisoner is a woman. Dilandau is to escort you to her location. We can't have our prized telepath disappearing now, can we? His voice held a slight edge that Karina couldn't help but hear; they weren't worried about somebody hurting her, they were worried that she would run away.

Good. They should worry.

I'm your only telepath. she reminded him.

Yes you are, he agreed softly. And that makes you a very special woman to us. Somehow what he said sounded much more personal than just being important to When will we be leaving? If she was really going to be stuck with _him_ on a ship for several hours she wanted to have some time to prepare herself mentally for the torture.

You will depart in the morning. Folken hesitated for a moment before speaking again. I must tell you that this is a confidential operation and that you two will be alone except for an escort of two other guymelefs. They will not be piloted by Dragonslayers, however, and they don't know what you are doing. You, Karina will be held in the hand of Dilandau's guymelef, in what amounts to a transport pod.Great, I don't even get a ship. I get a pod. Karina muttered sarcastically.

That is all that you need to know until you arrive, and then you will be briefed on what you are finding out and who your prisoner is.Why can't I just know now?Because you don't need to know now.

Dilandau had been silent the entire time they were speaking; it was interesting to see the conflicting emotions on Karina's face as the details of her mission were explained. He was bored now, by how absurdly argumentative she was and by how dull the conversation was becoming. Well, it was lovely having this chat, but I've got things to do, people to kill, soldiers to train, fun stuff. He executed a quick, mocking bow to Folken and turned to go. Tomorrow, Woman. Karina's angry eyes met hers for a split second and he was struck by how marvelous she looked when she was angry.

Folken smiled at Karina once before he began walking down the hall, back to the throne room and his dark refuge.

Once he was out of sight Karina looked into the training room and saw Dilandau quickly disarm one of his men with a heavy broadsword. She grinned ironically, and said wistfully, God I want to castrate that man.

∞§∞

The next morning Karina was ready promptly and showed up in the flight hangar without complaint. She was dressed professionally, with her uniform in place and her hair pulled back in a severe bun at the nape of her neck. She wasn't used to it being so bound—normally it was just in a braid down her back, and somehow the fact that it was twisted into a knot made her feel much more restrained. She said nothing as the soldiers showed her the pod she would be sitting in, held carefully (she hoped) in the guymelef's hand.

Dilandau hadn't yet said anything to her, and she had made no move to speak to him. That was fine by him, he didn't really want her to. Especially not if she was going to keep asking all those stupid questions like those she had been asking Folken yesterday. Why couldn't she just leave it alone? And worse, if she asked, he couldn't get the satisfaction of knowing something she didn't. The truth was, he had no idea who she was interrogating.

We're ready to leave at your command, Lord Dilandau. One of the pilots interrupted his thoughts and Dilandau's eyes snapped up, taking a look at the man, debating whether it was worth his time to torture him for disturbing him, and deciding it most definitely wasn't.

Prepare to depart, he barked quickly. The two soldiers accompanying them leapt nimbly into their guymelefs and Karina climbed sullenly into her own pod. She was not going to enjoy this, particularly since she was connected to Dilandau by radio.

He smirked at her as he slid into the seat of his guymelef and she sent him a seething glare from her glass cage.

Let's go, Dilandau commanded, and immediately the three guymelefs took off into the air, flying out level with the Vione and then dropping down to a lower altitude.

For the first two hours of the flight, Karina was silent and so was her carrier. She was relieved that he wasn't saying anything to her; she wasn't' sure if she could deal with his idiocy right now. She didn't want to read anybody again, she didn't want to feel the fear and the hope and the pain again. She didn't want to feel compelled to rescue another person in a feat that could mean her life.

Feeling nervous, Woman? Dilandau's voice crackled over the com channel, and Karina closed her eyes in resignation; she should have known the silence couldn't last forever. And he wasn't calling her by her name anymore. She hadn't noticed yesterday when he had trapped her against the wall; she had been too alert of all his movements, movements that would indicate him drawing his sword for instance, to pay attention to what he had been calling her. Damn him to hell.

Not at all, General. Why, are you? she answered coldly. She couldn't resist adding on the last part. She just loved to piss him off.

Why would I be nervous? His voice was disdainful, as if he couldn't possibly be nervous of anything. Which for all Karina knew, was true.

Well, you don't seem to like people with unusual abilities. Being an oracle would be considered an unusual ability. She admittedly can't read your mind, but she could tell you when you're going to die.

Dilandau didn't say anything for a moment, the channel was silent, and now that he had spoken, Karina found the silence worse than his irritating way of speaking. I know when I'm going to die, he said finally.

Karina's brows came together in a frown as his words came through and reached her ears. What the hell? He couldn't possibly know when he was going to die, unless of course he thought he was going to live forever. What do you mean?I mean I know when I'm going to die. The thought doesn't scare me. For some reason, it seemed to Karina as if he was trying to convince himself of that.

So if you know when you're going to die, when is it? she asked quietly. Her curiosity had to be sated; she couldn't just let the subject go, though it was probably in her health's best interests if she did.

Dilandau stayed silent; he wasn't going to tell her that. He didn't want her to have the satisfaction of knowing when he would meet his end. Because for some strange reason, he didn't want her to enjoy the thought of him dying. It disturbed him.

she repeated, and he couldn't hear anything in her voice that suggested that she wished him to die. There was no impatience, no sound of anticipation at the idea of him taking his last breaths. He found some relief in that.

But could he trust her?

We'll be landing in two minutes. A pilot's voice saved him from making the decision and he breathed a sigh of relief. For once he was grateful to the blundering idiots that comprised the rest of Ziabach's army. The sky is clear and so far nobody has detected our presence. he replied briskly, wishing that the two minutes would speed up so that he could get the hell out of contact with the woman. _With Karina, _part of him corrected automatically. He immediately shut that part up, there was no way he was going to call her by her name when she hadn't yet earned it. And how would she earn it, he wondered. And why in Gaea's name did he want her to earn it?

They touched down in a sheltered glade on the outskirts of a small town. There were no guards around the walls of the village, but the barrier was high and Dilandau had no doubt that it was spelled against intruders. He could see it in the runes that decorated the very top of the wall. So the village had a sorcerer. He suppressed a shiver—sorcerers were one thing he wouldn't mind being wiped off the face of the planet. He hadn't really liked those he had met so far.

Dilandau slipped smoothly from the cockpit of his guymelef and went to unlock Karina's transport pod. The look she gave him when she turned his way wasn't as cold as it usually was, and for once he was the one who looked away; he couldn't deal with her understanding. Hate was so much easier.

But he put a hand out to help her down anyway, almost without thinking about what he was doing. He saw her stare at it with an expression akin to wonder and then her gloved hand clasped his own. The contact was brief as he helped her down, but he could feel the heat of her through his glove, and when she took her hand out of his it burnt like a brand on his palm. What the hell was she doing to him?

They walked to the wall of the town and the pilots located a small, hidden door in the thick, stone barrier. Dark steps led down into the ground, and Karina wondered why a girl would be so well guarded. _She must be something,_ she thought with a wry smile. _Or maybe they learned from me that girls are a little tougher than they seem._ The thought pleased her.

Another corridor followed the first they went down and another dimly lit hallway followed the next until Karina wondered if they had just brought her down here as some kind of stupid joke.

Finally, after what must have been fifteen minutes of walking through identical stone halls, they reached a room. She and Dilandau stood by as the pilots pulled out keys for the door. Her glance flicked to Dilandau and she found that he was looking just as baffled as she was. Why would they use such an old technology? Of course keys were much more personal; far fewer people owned a key than knew a lock code, but why such caution? Dilandau's eyes flicked to hers and for once the look they exchanged wasn't full of venom.

The door opened then and Karina stepped inside. The pilots didn't follow her, but Dilandau stalked in with her—like hell he was going to be left out.

Oh my god. The woman in the room spoke softly, whispering her shock. You're—you're from Earth. It was a statement, not a question, and Karina froze at the sound of her home's name.

Who the hell are you? she asked bluntly. She didn't like people knowing more about her than they should, and this woman seemed to be quite knowledgeable, at least about her origins.

I'm—good lord, they didn't even tell you who I was. the woman said, stunned. I'm sorry, my name is Kanzaki, Hitomi Kanzaki.

A/N: Yeah, I bet I surprised a few of you. Teehee! And I only have more surprises in store. Next chapter we get to go into the mind of miss Hitomi Kanzaki, and learn a few interesting things about Karina's fuzzy past. (Yes, Jacquei, you get your wish) Review for me please everybody!


	13. The Secret and the Deal

Chapter 12: The Secret and the Deal

A/N: I'm finally updating! I'm so sorry it took so long but I was finishing my book and then there were finals and you know how life just gets hectic. But now here it is. Oh, by the way, I'm a little confused by one review I got that said my character was a whore. Question: How is she a whore when she hasn't done anything with anybody?

My name is Kanzaki, Hitomi Kanzaki.

Karina looked blankly at the woman; was she supposed to have some idea of who that was? She glanced at Dilandau, wondering if he had the faintest clue as to who the hell Hitomi' was, and saw an expression not unlike the one he'd had when he'd threatened to kill her.

he spat out, glaring at Hitomi with a look that could have frozen seasoned warriors with terror.

Hitomi smiled slightly. So pleased to see you again, Dilandau.That's Lord Dilandau to you. He surveyed her and smirked. You're getting more and more like that righteous bastard husband of yours every day.

Karina looked from Dilandau to Hitomi and back to Dilandau again. She had never seen him in a mood quite like this; she had seen bloodlust in his eyes before, but it had never been quite so... focused on one person, not even on her when he had been desperate for her blood. What was she thinking? He was still desperate for her blood.

I must be missing something, she cut in, putting a stop to their exchange of insults before Dilandau decided to wipe the walls with her prisoner. I'm gonna take a leap now and say you've met before.

Their staring contest went unbroken, only a slight smirk curving Dilandau's lips and the deepening fear in Hitomi's eyes giving any indication they had heard her.

And I'm going to guess you didn't like each other very much.

Dilandau finally ripped his eyes from the prisoner and muttered sarcastically, You, woman, have a talent for understatement.You know, Dilandau, if you'd like the other cheek scarred as well I'm sure Van would love to see you again. Hitomi taunted, more confident now that his piercing eyes weren't directed at her. As a matter of fact—Shut up! Shut up! he shouted, lunging at the prophet in his rage. Karina managed to restrain him, barely, gripping his arms and pulling him back with all her might.

she yelled in his ear, Calm the hell down!

To her amazement, he quieted a little, his muscles relaxing against her hands. With one hand still grasping his arm she dragged him outside the cell, fury written on her features.

What the hell was that? she demanded once she had closed the door to the prison.

That was the Mystic Moon bitch about to get her commupance if you hadn't interrupted me. he grumbled angrily. He wasn't looking at her; his eyes were fixed hungrily on the cell, as if he could kill her with his mind if he tried hard enough. He sighed. Too bad Karina wasn't the sort to kill people on command.

You can't go around killing prisoners when they're needed for interrogation. It's stupid and it'll piss Folken off.Wouldn't want to irritate your lover now, would we? he said maliciously. It was strange how sour that phrase tasted in his mouth, how he felt he needed to wash his tongue just by saying it.

He's not my lover. she said defensively. And right now I have a prisoner to interrogate. You're going to wait outside.Like hell I am. I'm your General, your superior.You're not _my _General. I'm not a soldier and therefore not under your command.I'm still coming in.If you attack her again I will do something to you that you won't like.Like what?I'll read your mind.

Dilandau swallowed a little. When had she become so good at reading him? And why did she know that even with the thought that someday soon she could kill him just by thinking it, the thought that scared him most was the idea that she could see into him?

I won't attack her. The whore isn't worth my time anyway.

They stepped back into the little stone room then, Karina with a forced smile plastered on her face, Dilandau with an annoyed frown much like the look of a spoiled child who hadn't gotten his way.

Hitomi smiled at Karina, a sweet smile in contrast with the cold one she had given Dilandau. I thought you guys were going to leave me alone again. And even though you're going to interrogate me or whatever, it's better than being down here alone. Especially since I don't know a thing.Either way I have to interrogate you, Karina stated in a very business-like manner. So let's get this started. I need your hands, please.What? Why?She's not a usual interrogator. Dilandau said smoothly, She has other methods of getting information.What methods? Hitomi asked, holding out her hands, and Karina could hear a little bit of fear in her voice.

You'll see.

Karina glared at Dilandau before taking Hitomi's hands in her own. She didn't need the girl being terrified when she went into her mind. It wouldn't be pleasant for either of them that way. She closed her eyes and searched for the familiar feeling of the mind, the house that would show her the world if she asked it to.

Hitomi's house was remarkably like her—neat, well-kept, and charming. Gingerbread trim lined the roof and windows, and the whole thing was colored a cheerful lavender that made Karina want to gag. She marched up to the door as she had done in her last interrogation, rapping on the wood with a few quick strokes.

Hitomi herself answered the door, wearing a light summer dress, all flowered and green, matching her eyes and bringing the striking color of them even more to life.

Welcome to my home, the figure of Hitomi greeted her warmly. Make yourself at home, have a look around if you wish, as long you don't look anywhere I don't want you to go.Those are the places I need to go, I have to go there, Karina protested. Those places were the only areas she could possibly get the information she needed. Though she wasn't entirely sure what she was looking for.

I'm sorry but I won't allow you to go into such places. Hitomi said, sounding genuinely apologetic.

I'm afraid you don't have a choice. Karina moved down the hallway and pulled on the handle to the first door. It was unlocked, something which didn't surprise her at all. She moved on to the next one—nobody kept their secrets in unlocked rooms—and to her delight, it was locked. She placed her hands on it, feeling the locks resisting her power, and urged them to move, commanded the tumblers to slip into their places and obey her. The door creaked open a little, but before she could step inside it slammed shut in her face.

You've underestimated me, telepath. Hitomi stated smugly behind her. You can't see what I don't want you to see.Then tell me what I need to know, and I'll just figure out whether you're lying or not.Do you know what it is you're required to find out? Hitomi asked curiously, guiding Karina down the hall and away from the locked door.

Karina lied without blinking an eye.

You're a good liar. Hitomi smiled at her. I don't think I want you leaving my mind quite yet. I think we ought to explore your mind while we're here.We're in your mind, Hitomi, not mine, Karina pointed out.

It doesn't matter. Your mind is in contact with mine, so it's reasonable to say that your mind is as vulnerable as mine right now.Only to a telepath. Which you're— Hitomi finished. Just because I'm not a telepath doesn't mean I can't find things out about you. Let's start with why you don't think of your home.I don't have a home. Karina said shortly. This couldn't be happening, not to her. She was interrogating a prisoner, not visiting a shrink.

But you did. What happened, Karina? Why did they kick you out? Why are you going to go back to the Vione and cry about this?You don't know I'm gonna do that.I'm a prophet. What do I know if not the future?I read about you. Karina said suddenly, realizing for the first time why the name had sounded so familiar. You came here to change the fate of Gaea, and you did. You changed it and then came back and married the Dragon, the king of Fanelia. That's why you—that's why they want me to—Yes. I'm from earth, too. And I did return and marry Van and they want you to interrogate me to see if he plans on attacking Zaibach. The answer is no, in case you were wondering. But I was really enjoying this little session of delving into the mind of a telepath. It's an unusual experience.The history books portrayed you somewhat differently. Karina observed as she sat down in a plush chair by the window.

I've lived in a country that had been burned to the ground, I went through a war, and I've lived with the knowledge of the future for several years now. A girl learns a lot, learns to believe in very few things, and one of those is myself.You sound a lot like me.I think my past was happier than yours, though.You don't know shit about my past. You don't know what they did to me, you don't know how it happened, you don't even know why I'm here. Hell, I don't even know why I'm here.Did he threaten you? Is that why you put the knife to his throat? Hitomi asked gently.

How the hell do you— but the answer was before her. The last hour spent at her home was playing in front of her on a giant white screen, looking as if it had been filmed for the movies. All the lines were a little blurry, as if it had been taken from a horrifying dream, but she could remember the details as clearly as if it had happened three days ago, not three years ago.

He did. He tried to force himself on you, didn't he? And you did the only thing you could think of. You put a knife to his throat and told him to get the hell away. Hitomi's voice was so sympathetic, so compassionate, that Karina felt the tears pricking her eyes, threatening to fall.

she whispered. But when they came in they didn't believe me. My own mother told me that I was a stupid whore and that if I was going to try to kill her husband I should leave and never come back. So I did.I'm sorry I made you relive it.Don't be. I would have made you relive all of your worst memories if it had meant getting the information I wanted. But you weren't lying when you said your country isn't going to attack, so now I don't have to.I don't know what they're going to do to me after you leave. Hitomi began slowly, her voice not quite as steady as it had been a moment before. And I'm not sure if—if—Don't worry, Hitomi, you'll get home safely. As long as nobody ever hears of my past then I can promise your safety.Are you striking a deal with me, Telepath?The name's Karina, and yes, I am.

A/N: How was that? I know that wasn't quite as much of Karina's past as some of you wanted, but you're gonna have to deal with that for now. More will come in time. Muahahahahahahaha! Anyhoo. Review for me pretty please!


	14. The Command

Chapter 13: The Command

A/N: Okay, this chapter gets a little bit more interesting. That is all I will say. And not in a weird lemony way either. Just interesting. Teehee.

Dilandau tapped his foot against the cold stone floor in an effort to release some of his pent-up energy. It was ridiculous having to sit here with no idea what was going on inside their heads and twiddle his thumbs, which, depressing as it was, he had actually been doing for the last few minutes. How long did this take? Though it couldn't have been more than a half an hour, it felt like an eternity.

If the woman was so talented at her art then why was she still in that bitch of a prophet's mind? He shook his head. It had been too long. She had been in there too long. Maybe something had gone wrong, maybe the stupid prophet whore had trapped her inside her own mind—he wouldn't put it past her.

His eyes traveled to Karina's profile, and he sat for a moment, studying her face in the dim light of the room. Her brow furrowed a little and he wondered what she was thinking, what was going on inside her head. A few strands of titian hair escaped the severe bun, one falling into her closed eyes as she sat. Almost without thinking he reached forward to brush it out of the way behind her ears, his crimson gloves a stark contrast to her brighter locks.

Dilandau's gloved hand brushed her cheek and he sucked in a breath as her eyelids fluttered. Could she feel that? That slight touch of the skin that made him want to—

Karina's eyes opened and for a moment she looked confused, disoriented as she had the last time she had read another's mind. She shook her head as if to clear it, and then seemed to notice the hand that had frozen in midair as she had awoken. Her eyes were on his for a moment, a question in them that he didn't have the answer to, and then she glanced back at Hitomi, checking to see if the other girl was all right.

Dilandau was relieved to have her grey eyes looking somewhere else; never before had he been so affected by the stare of another human being, but now her steady grey eyes were causing a feeling in him that was like the fear he had felt when the Sorcerers had experimented on him, but somehow a different sort of terror entirely.

he said shortly, trying to get some sort of response out of her that would let him know she was okay. She looked a little pale.

She turned to him again and blinked. What, Dilandau?You have finished interrogating the prisoner? he inquired briskly, gesturing over to Hitomi. She had only just begun to wake, her eyes opening slowly and blinking against even the dim light of the chamber.

Yes, I have. There's no important information to report. Dilandau wasn't sure whether or not she was being truthful—she had become an expert liar in her time here—but he didn't think she was lying.

We can leave then. he stated, rising to his feet and heading for the door. The guards will take care of the prisoner.

Karina got to her feet as well and leveled her gaze at him. Actually the guards won't be taking care of the prisoner. Not in the way you mean them to take care of her.

Dilandau narrowed his eyes; what the hell kind of plan had she created now? What do you mean?I mean that she will be leaving this facility with our help and that she will be a free woman. He had a fleeting wish that she was joking, but Karina's voice had a no-nonsense tone to it, and so he quickly banished the thought from his mind.

he replied simply. There was no way in hell he was going to let the one girl he wanted nothing more than to kill to get away—not only away, home, and in one piece too. Was he even going to be able to take an ear, maybe as compensation?

But of course he wasn't going to comply with this ridiculous idea. No way.

Karina ignored his last words and went to the door of the dungeon, peeking out the bars at the two guards that had led them down there. They were still outside the door, lounging against one of the walls in a way that would be most ineffective if an enemy should actually attack them. She grinned, and then called to them.

Excuse me, Soldiers, she began politely, fluttering her eyelashes a little. They looked up at her and one raised his brow in question. Would you come in here for a moment? I'm afraid that the prisoner is being difficult and I wish for you to subdue her.

Neither of the men could understand why Dilandau didn't just subdue her, seeing as he was the most infamous and bloodthirsty general in the history of Gaea.

The General and I are under strict orders not to harm the prisoner until the interrogation is complete, she continued, and if you two could urge her along a little in her telling of information, you wouldn't get in any trouble and it would really help me.

They shrugged and rose to their feet, coming to the door of the dungeon with their keys to open it. Karina glanced at Dilandau, knowing he wasn't going to help her but unsure whether he was actually going to stop her, and readied the hilt of her dagger. The guards came through the door and with a quick strike she knocked the first one out. She moved to disable the second one but he was already on the ground, unconscious, with Dilandau standing over him and surveying him coldly.

I hate stupid guards, he said by way of explanation. Karina grinned at him appreciatively and he looked away, a little frown appearing between his brows. She had no notion as to why he was suddenly being so weird—not that he wasn't always weird—and she didn't particularly care, so long as he didn't get in her way while she was trying to help rescue Hitomi.

So, Dilandau, she began slyly, stripping the armor off one of the guards as she spoke, are you going to help me out here or not? She looked him in the eye then, hoping to whatever deity would listen that he was going to help her. Things would be much more difficult if he got sudden bloodlust while Hitomi was trying to escape.

Yes, I will. But not for the stupid Mystic Moon bitch.Then for who? We're both stupid Mystic Moon bitches. she pointed out, not understanding his logic in the matter.

Dilandau didn't answer and instead stepped carefully over the bodies of the unconscious guards, walking to the open door and glancing down the hall both ways. How could he answer a question he himself didn't know the answer to? He had no idea why he was helping her with her insane plan. Not that they would be caught since the guards had been conveniently knocked out; they had never seen what hit them so what conclusions could they come to? But why the hell was he bothering to save the little prophet bitch's life? He hated her almost as much as he hated little wonder-boy Van, and killing her would give him such great pleasure.

And Gaea knew he wasn't doing it for the telepath.

_Karina, _a nagging piece of him corrected.

_Shut up, _he told it firmly.

Let's go, he muttered, stalking out without bothering to see if they were following him. He had memorized the way they had come just in case—that was what he was trained to do, after all—and the identical stone labyrinth was easily navigated by his excellent memory.

Karina followed closely with Hitomi, who was now wearing the outer layer of armor that had been removed from the Zaibach soldier. Dilandau led them flawlessly, and Karina was amazed despite herself at his impeccable memory.

They reached the door in the wall in almost no time, and after Karina had checked outside to make sure nobody was near, she turned to Hitomi and smiled.

Thank you, she said softly, though she wasn't entirely sure what she was thanking the prophet for. All she had done was force her to relive some of the worst moments of her life. With the exception of one other moment that she would never forget... but she couldn't think of that now. But somehow it felt as if her fellow Earthling—she giggled at how silly that sounded even in her head—had genuinely helped her.

Thank you, Hitomi replied, seizing Karina in a hug. For deciding not to pry harder into my mind. You're right; I wouldn't have been able to keep you out, and I couldn't have hurt you, so thanks again.

Dilandau rolled his eyes. Let's cut the girly hugs so you can get the hell out of my presence, he said bitterly, glaring at Hitomi with venom.

She smiled sweetly at him and gave him a mocking salute. But of course, General. With that she left, wandering off into the woods in the direction of the nearest city.

Dilandau stood staring after her for a few moments with Karina, watching her form disappear among the thick foliage. There was something you forgot to think of when you decided on her brilliant escape plan, he remarked casually, as if it didn't really matter to him. Which it didn't, come to think of it.

she snapped, irritated that he had to bring up something to ruin her day even more.

How did she supposedly escape? What are you going to tell your lover? he asked, turning and walking in the direction of his guymelef.

For the last time, Dilandau, he isn't my lover. Why don't you believe that? She sighed in exasperation and continued, And I'm going to tell him that you were in the forest keeping watch and that she knocked me out while I was still disoriented from reading her mind, that you revived me and the guards were mysteriously unconscious when I came to. She grinned. How does that sound?You're quite an accomplished liar, he observed drily.

Thank you, she said sweetly. Now let's go home and— Karina froze as she realized what she had said. Home. Home and the Vione in the same sentence. She referring to the Vione as home. Oh, God. What was happening to her that she had come to think of that place as home? Though in reality it was just as much of a home as every other place she had been in the last few years.

Dilandau watched her as she realized what she had said and came to her conclusion. He wasn't sure exactly what she was thinking, only that it couldn't have made her that happy considering the expression on her face.

We need to get going, he commanded briskly, strangely anxious to get her thoughts away from whatever was making her unhappy.

Right, let's go. Karina shook her head to clear it—she couldn't afford such stupidly upsetting thoughts right now—and marched toward the clearing Dilandau's guymelef was residing in. She could see it only because they were unable to use the stealth cloak with him carrying her transport pod, and as she walked into the clearing she couldn't help but be a little nervous about flying back without a stealth cloak.

Dilandau silently moved to help her into her pod, holding out his hand to her for the second time that day. He still didn't understand why he was displaying such ridiculous acts of gentlemanliness, nor was he particularly interested in understanding why. Let the shrinks of the world figure that out.

Karina took his hand and hauled herself into the pod, muttering a word of thanks as she released his gloved fingers. An odd feeling went down her spine as she did so, a cold feeling like she had let go of something important. She shook off the feeling in the same way she had shook off her other thoughts.

But she couldn't help keeping her eyes locked with his as the lid to her shuttle was closed.

In minutes they were flying, Dilandau maneuvering the machine out of the clearing with unparalleled grace. Karina could see everything below because of the pod's transparent casing, and she kept herself occupied by watching the trees speed by her below.

A thought occurred to her and she raised her head, glancing at the closed hatch to the flying guymelef.

she said hesitantly, hoping he was in a reasonable mood.

he snapped in reply. _Well, _she thought bracingly, _he's progressed at least from calling me Woman to calling me nothing at all. I guess that's a good sign._

You never told me when you were going to die. You said you knew. When is it? She was careful to keep her tone neutral, unthreatening, uneager. She wasn't at all eager for him to die, actually, and she didn't want him thinking that she was just asking out of spite. For some reason the thought of him hating her didn't inspire indifference.

I am going to die when... she heard him take a breath over the com channel and she leaned forward a little, waiting for him to speak. Look, a prophet told me once, it's stupid.Which prophet? she asked, genuinely interested.

The one you just set free. he said shortly.

Karina pressed. She was curious now, she had to know. Partially to sate her own curiosity, and partially because, because...

_I don't want him to die on me._

Dilandau bit his lip inside the cockpit of the guymelef. Why the hell did this woman want to know when he was going to die? She could just find out by grabbing his bare hand—he would make sure he never took his gloves off—and yet she was asking him. He opened his mouth to speak, whether to tell her the truth or to lie to her, he would never know.

A completely different voice came out of the com speakers this time and Dilandau frowned. What the hell was Folken doing speaking to him in the middle of the sky? It was too easy to have the channel picked up—what was he thinking?

What is it, Strategos? The only thing Dilandau was currently interested in was getting back to the Vione and out of the company of the telepath. She was far too disconcerting for his peace of mind.

There are Asturian scouts in the area; I want you to land briefly and bring Karina into the cockpit so you can use your stealth cloak.

Dilandau blinked. You want me to what?Bring Karina into the cockpit; you have to be able to use your stealth cloak. They might be able to find you anyway on the radar; I will give you further orders if the situation changes. There was a dull click to signal the end of the conversation.

It was Karina's voice again, coming from the transport pod, small and hesitant. Did he just say that I'm supposed to—Come into the cockpit? Yes. Dilandau looked doubtfully at the small cockpit and wondered how the hell she was supposed to fit in here. It was definitely a one-man place, and though Dilandau wasn't a huge man, she definitely wasn't going to be able to sit next to him...

I guess we'd better land for a minute then. Karina's voice was matter-of-fact, far more calm that he was feeling about the whole thing.

Dilandau set the guymelef down in the next clearing that he saw, deciding that it was probably best to obey Folken's orders for once. They did need the stealth cloak, especially if there were soldiers out. Asturian soldiers tended not to like Zaibach very much, ever since the last war. And if Karina were in the transport pod outside not only would he be visible, but he'd be hampered by having her held in one of the guymelef's hands.

Dilandau kept telling himself that those were the only reasons he was obeying Folken's orders.

He opened the cockpit and helped Karina out of the transport pod once more, and then climbed the machine to the cockpit with her close behind him. Once he had been seated she just stood there for a moment, staring at him blankly and looking at the cockpit dubiously, wondering how the hell she was supposed to fit in there without straddling the General.

How are we going to work this? she asked bluntly.

Dilandau shook his head. Figure something out. You're the telepath.That has nothing to do with the fact that this frickin' cockpit is too damned small. You're the General, figure out some tactics for it.Shut up, Woman.

Dilandau closed his eyes; he wasn't going to get pissed with her right before he had to spend several hours in her company. He just wasn't going to. For one thing he might kill her. Or worse, spend the hours arguing with himself about whether to kill her or—

Let's just not argue, okay? Karina suggested wearily. I'm going to get in and we'll see how this works.

She climbed in and they could both immediately see that this was going to be difficult. She was unable to sit next to him which had had already figured out, and she couldn't sit sideways on him either. She tried sitting on his lap and facing the door, but that got in the way of his line of vision.

How the hell are we supposed to do this? he shouted in frustration after the fourth position they had tried that didn't work.

Karina bit her lip. She had an idea, but god knew she didn't want to do it. I have an idea, she sighed in resignation.

he snapped irritably.

Karina repositioned herself and Dilandau's eyes widened as she moved into a position that worked. She was straddling him, her legs tucked into the space on either side of his seat, and her head was over his right shoulder, out of the way of his vision and comfortable for her.

Does that work? she asked quietly, and her breath tickled his ear.

Something strange had happened to his breathing and so he was a little hard pressed to answer. His voice was less harsh than it usually was.

Then let's go.

A/N: Yeah. Awkward straddling scenes. Gotta love them. The next chapter is really important so I'll probably have it up in about a week. Muahahahahahaha! Review for me. Criticisms, compliments, flames, loveness, I adore it all.


	15. The Savior and the Saved

Chapter 14: The Savior and the Saved

A/N: So this chapter is the important one, just so you know.

Dilandau was having trouble maneuvering the guymelef. He wasn't sure what exactly he should blame it on, whether it was the fact that Karina's head was in the way because she was straddling him in the far too small cockpit, or whether it was the fact that she was straddling him in general. But he wasn't going to admit it was the latter, even if it was.

He could feel her, even through his armor, and there was a sort of terrifying thrill to her warmth pressed so close against him. And he could feel her warm breath on the skin of his neck, tickling ever so gently every time she breathed out.

They hadn't spoken since they had taken off in this position, partially because he needed to concentrate to maneuver with an extra person in the cockpit, but mostly because it was too damned awkward for speech. No more orders had come from Folken within the last half hour, and it was a little annoying to know that they had been virtually abandoned in the sky.

Of course he had seen little of these supposed threats' on his radar; they were little more than specks in the distance, and he had no doubt that they had completely lost their quarry, if they ever had a quarry at all.

It was Karina, her voice just as small and tentative as it had been a half hour ago.

he said, attempting to snap but having it come out as more far too hoarse to sound threatening.

When are we going to be there?

Dilandau closed his eyes, praying that something would give him patience. It was rather difficult, however, to pray when he didn't believe in anything. Anything, that is, but himself, and his sword.

Another hour, at least, he replied shortly. This stupid bitch was ruining his concentration, and now she was asking him stupid questions? So why didn't he want to kill her?

Karina sighed, and her breath teased a few of his platinum hairs out of their original position. She wondered how long it had been, how long she had been sitting in this position. If she thought about this in a humorous and light frame of mind (which there was no way in hell she would do), she would realize the incredible humor of her situation.

Instead, she was quite certain that she would die of embarrassment if she didn't leave the cockpit soon. She was unsure why it should bother her so much; he didn't really scare her very much anymore, or at least she wasn't terrified of him. And yet every time he shifted slightly in his seat she blushed, a scarlet tinge coming over her cheeks that she was impossibly relieved he couldn't see.

It would be so humiliating for him to see a reaction she didn't even understand.

Karina wondered idly what Folken would think if he could see her straddling his best General. Maybe he would hate her for being so willing to be on top of another man. Not that she was willing, and not that she had ever been on top of Folken, oh god on top of Folken—her thoughts were running away from her. But would he hate her? The thought sent a slight pang through her, but not as large a one as she had expected.

A voice crackled over the com channel and Dilandau and Karina gave a sigh of relief in perfect unison.

About time, Folken, Dilandau snapped, summoning as much venom as he could into his voice with the current distraction that was sitting on top of him.

I apologize for taking so long. Comfy, Karina? The voice was laced with humor, and for once Karina didn't feel a surge of warmth for the low, smooth tones. Instead she sort of wanted to hit him for putting her in this situation in the first place.

Yeah I'm comfy, she replied irritably, her bitterness starkly evident to Dilandau as she spoke in his ear.

I want you to land, Dilandau. There's a small house in the woods whose owners are elsewhere at the moment—we've already scanned the area—that you may use for shelter. The soldiers have become all too aware of your presence. You will have to wait them out.

Dilandau growled low in his throat. Why the hell can't I just rip them to pieces? He felt Karina stiffen as he said it, and instantly regretted the words. But why should he? That was what he did, rip people to pieces when they got in his way, when they angered him. He didn't have to apologize for his nature.

_Your nature? _a tiny voice in his head taunted him, the same voice that told him to call her by her first name. _You don't even know your true nature. You're an experiment, a puppet, a creature that shouldn't actually exist. You're only half real. Who even knows if you have a nature?_

I am real. he protested. He knew arguing with that stupid little voice would get him nowhere, but it was necessary for him to argue. He grinned ironically; it was his nature.

Because I won't risk any damage to Karina. Folken's voice came again on the com channel, and Dilandau's eyes narrowed at the syrupy tone his voice held as he said her name.

_Back the fuck off, _the tiny voice snarled inside him.

Fine. I'll land, we'll wait it out. But this is the last time I'm playing escort to your telepath. With that he roughly switched off the channel, cutting him off from his stupid superior. No, not his superior, his superior had been the man before, the man that had been whole. Not this shadow of a man.

I'm not his. Karina's lips brushed against the outside of his ear as she spoke, and he started a little at the feeling.

he asked stupidly.

I'm not his. Not Folken's. I'm not anybody's. I belong to me, that's all. And I'm most definitely not anybody's telepath.Then why are you doing his dirty work?I don't want to die.Then you'll just be a slave.Isn't that what you are?

Dilandau pushed her away from him a little to look into her eyes. No. I'm not a slave, and I never will be.But you work for him. You do his dirty work.' I think that puts us in the same boat.I don't fear death.Then why work for him? You must fear something, if you work for a man you hate. Her eyes didn't waver as she looked into his; her gaze was becoming disconcerting. Even more disturbing was the truth in her words.

I didn't hate Folken. he said instead of answering her question.

What changed? There was nothing in her voice but curiosity; it was casual, inquisitive, but not prying.

He did.I don't think you really want to know.Why wouldn't I?It might destroy your perfect image of your loverboy. He somehow managed to tear his eyes away from hers and tried to concentrate on landing. He could see the location Folken was speaking of on his radar screen. It was a small cottage, not large, but big enough to serve their purpose.

He's not my lover, Dilandau. On impulse, she gripped his chin in her hand and turned his eyes back to hers. Tell me.We're landing. And indeed they were, Dilandau's strong hands setting them gently down on the ground next to a small cottage.

The cockpit opened but Karina didn't move to leave it. Instead she sat there, stubbornly waiting for Dilandau to answer her question.

He raised an eyebrow as she stayed put. Are you going to move?Not until you tell me.You are a stubborn bitch, aren't you, Karina?

She blinked at the use of her first name, but nodded, brushing it aside as a fluke that he would correct with some insult as soon as he could.

With that he scooped her up in his arms and climbed, mostly one-handed, down the guymelef, ignoring her protests.

Dilandau set her down when they reached the ground and for a moment they stood there, far too close for Karina's peace of mind. His hand was still on her waist, her arm still on his shoulder, and she could see something different flicker behind his eyes. She wasn't sure what it was, but in some ways it terrified her far more than his hate had.

The moment was ended by Dilandau, as he broke away to examine the cottage, making certain it wasn't occupied or protected by some hidden booby-trap.

Karina walked up to the front door instead, putting her gloved palm against the door. Suddenly a thought occurred to her. Slowly she pulled her glove off and pressed her bare palm to the wooden door. She could feel the house's owners, almost see what went on behind this door. But there was nobody here now, nor had there been for a long time. The traces of people were almost gone.

Karina started at the sound and dropped her glove, hurrying over to where Dilandau now stood, frowning and clutching his hand.

What happened? she asked, trying to keep the concern from her voice.

There was broken glass in one of the windows. His frown deepened. I ruined my favorite pair of gloves.

Karina looked down at his hand and rolled her eyes. And you've got glass stuck in your hand. She took his hand in her still-gloved one and gently pulled off his glove, working around the glass. Carefully, she began edging the glass out of his skin, ignoring the blood that was oozing from the wound. The glass was almost out when her finger brushed his bare hand.

A flash of hooded figures, sharp needles, a girl crying out in pain. And then a boy screaming, pleading with them to stop. A young man killing a man, looking down at his bloodied hands in horror. Clutching his cheek as blood seeped between his fingers. A red-haired woman who glared at him ferociously as he laughed at her.

Karina pulled her hand away as quickly as she could, staring up at Dilandau. His breathing was rough; he had been all too aware of the intrusion into his mind. And his eyes wouldn't leave hers.

I'm sorry, she whispered. I didn't mean to, I forgot that— I'm sorry.

Dilandau said nothing, merely gripped the piece of glass and finished pulling it out, then turned and walked into the house.

Karina called, hurrying after him. I swear I didn't mean to. I took off my glove to feel the house and then I forgot because you were hurt and I had to get the glass out and— She stopped as a voice not hers or Dilandau's echoed through her head.

_I lost track of them. Where could they have gone? Rook to bishop, to do you see them?_

Karina hardly dared to breathe, waiting for more. But nothing came, and she looked frantically around the room; where the hell had that come from? Then it came again.

_Bishop to rook, no sign of them yet. Wait, I'm picking something up on the radar. A house, I think, and there seems to be a trace of—there's a guymelef down there!_

Telepath. Woman! Karina! She broke herself out of her trance to find Dilandau grasping her shoulders, shaking her roughly. What the hell was that about?

She frowned. I don't know. I heard people talking, like over a com channel, and they were talking about finding someone. Or people I think. But I couldn't tell where they were or who they were talking about.I know who they were talking about. Dilandau said grimly. Us. They're wondering where we are. Well, shit. For once Folken's right and we should stay put.I don't know if that's the best idea. They thought they saw something, I think it was this house, and your guymelef. Dilandau cursed loudly and ran a hand through his hair. We're sitting ducks here, we have to move.And where do you suggest we go? Karina asked mockingly. We can't fly, they'll spot us and you're too slowed down by me to fight properly.I can fight anybody, no matter what. Nobody can stand against me, he finished smugly.

Whatever. I think we should stay here. If it looks like they're going to find us, we can make a run for it. They'll never find us in the woods.You think they won't? After being around our technology for so long you think they won't find us?Well, do you have anything better to suggest, Mr. High-and-Mighty General! she shouted, becoming thoroughly pissed off with his ridiculous lack of cooperation.

Yes, actually I do! I— Karina interrupted suddenly. 

The dull hum of machines could be heard above them, a tiny vibration in the air. And with it came the voices.

_Ready._

Aim.

Fire.

Oh, shit. she whispered. It's going to hit the front of the house.

_Time until impact, ten seconds._

_Ten..._

Karina grabbed Dilandau's bare hand tightly in hers.

_Nine..._

They began running toward the back of the house, as far away from the impact site as they could.

_Eight..._

Karina tripped over a knocked over chair, wincing in pain as she hit the ground.

_Seven..._

Dilandau scrambled to help her up, and they ran forward once more.

_Six..._

We're not going to make it out of the house, Karina panted.

_Five..._

Behind here! Dilandau cried above the roar of the guymelefs above, ducking behind a large overturned table.

_Four..._

How much time left? he asked, though he didn't know why he was asking her.

_Three..._

Three seconds. Get down!

_Two..._

Karina threw herself on top of him, unsure why she was protecting him.

_One..._

The last thing she would ever feel was being pressed against him, their bare hands clutched tightly together.

_Zero..._

There was a deafening sound and an enormous tremor as the explosion shook the earth. Karina could see the light through her tightly closed eyes, felt a flash of pain.

And then her world went dark.

A/N: So? How do you like it? I might not be able to update for another week or two because I have this music camp. But this chapter was EXTREMELY important, at least if you're paying attention to details.


	16. The Rescue

Chapter 15: The Rescue

A/N: Well, maybe my update has come sooner than I thought. Oh well. Anyhoo. Read away and review for me. Criticisms and praises are appreciated. Always. :)

Pain. Pain was the first thing Dilandau became aware of as he regained consciousness. He wasn't entirely sure where the pain was coming from; his entire body seemed to be rife with it. He was reasonably sure that his side was the victim of the major pain. He let his fingers drift down to his left side and gently brushed it with his hand. Sure enough, it flared sharply in response, and it was damp to the touch.

God he hated blood. It was a strange fact about Dilandau; he despised blood, or at least his own. It was a sign of weakness, to have one's own blood spilled, and he wasn't weak. It comforted him slightly to know that he was a victim of circumstance rather than the poor soul on the wrong end of a skilled warrior's sword.

Dilandau let out a groan, partially to make sure he was still functioning vocally, and partially to express his extreme pain and irritation. Come to think of it, why the hell was he feeling pain? He shouldn't even be alive. The explosion in the front of the house should have killed them both; that was certainly the soldier's intention. And yet here he was, not only living, but conscious.

Not only that, but he remembered his name, which was definitely a good sign. He had seen men return from battle with injuries so painful that they forgot their identities, their brains trapped in a heavy shroud of agony.

Dilandau's next step was to try to move—he had to find Karina—but something was in his way. A small, still form lay on top of him, its hand still clutched tightly in his. _Well, _he thought ironically. _I don't have to look for her._

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself into a sitting position, easing her slim body off and onto the floor next to him. She was still unconscious, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling slowly as she breathed. He could see little external injury, other than a cut on her forehead, most likely where her head had struck his armor.

A thought occurred to him, mostly because of her position on top of him, and he turned her over, trying to be as careful as he could. His mouth pressed into a grim line at the sight of her back; the uniform that she had worn was almost completely gone, burned away by the explosion. The skin underneath was burned though not badly, only a few blisters marring the smooth skin. The rest was a lobster red.

Looks like you got off lucky, Karina, he whispered softly, examining for more injuries. If she had any others, they were internal. He hoped to God or any deity that would listen that they weren't internal. They had good doctors on the Vione it was true, but internal injuries often proved to be fatal, and more often than not the death was long, slow, and agonizing.

Strange that he didn't actually want her to suffer a slow, agonizing death. As a matter of fact, he hated the idea of her suffering at all.

_That's because you—_

Shut up, he muttered aloud to the voice in his head. The stupid thing was almost as bad as Celena when she had been a part of him.

Dilandau pulled himself slowly to his feet, clenching his jaw in an effort not to whimper. The wound in his side kept pulling no matter how he moved, and the rest of him ached with a vengeance.

Staggering outside he looked for his guymelef, and for once in his life was thankful he hadn't brought the Alsiedes. The machine was hardly recognizable for what it had used to be. It was now a shapeless lump of metal, only the nearly indestructible cockpit resembling its original form. As quickly as he could he ran to the cockpit, thankful that his adrenaline seemed to be keeping most of the pain at bay.

His hands groped inside the machine, striving to find the handheld com channel connection. If he could find that and it was still functioning he'd be fine. They'd be fine. His characteristic smirk came across his face as his hands found what they were looking for and he swiftly pulled it out and turned it on.

A heavenly crackling filled his ears and he spoke into it, hoping that the idiots on the Vione were monitoring the com channels properly.

This is the Garnet General asking for the Vione to respond. Over. He rolled his eyes at the use of his name. Not that it would take a genius to figure it out.

For a few heartpounding moments there was silence on the line, and then—

This is the Vione, Garnet General, we read you, what is your situation? Over.We were attacked by Asturian scouts, the tele—Karina is unconscious and injured, guymelef destroyed. Over.What is your location? Over.50 miles west of interrogation point. Dilandau paused. Get somebody's lazy ass over here right now or you will personally answer to me. He smirked in satisfaction at the petrified silence on the com channel. Over and out.

For the next hour Dilandau sat inside the house with Karina, watching her chest rise and fall with her breathing. He regularly checked her vitals, and each time her heartbeat was strong, her breathing free and untroubled, but she wasn't waking up.

At the end of an hour nobody had come and Dilandau was becoming impatient. It should only have been an hour long flight to get here, and that was if you flew at a leisurely pace. He got up and went outside, casting a glance at Karina before he went out to make sure she was still unconscious. He looked up at the sky, glaring at him like it owed him something, and frowned as a sound reached his ears.

Something like a whimper could be heard from the direction of the house and he raced back inside, falling to his knees beside Karina as her eyes fluttered open. Her grey eyes roved around the room for a minute, looking disoriented and confused and then they came to a stop on Dilandau's face.

What the hell? she mumbled weakly.

It was amazingly difficult for him to suppress the urge to pull her into his arms or slap her for making him worry for so long, he couldn't decide which he'd rather do.

Where are we? she asked blankly, taking in the ruins of the house.

Before I answer that, do you remember your name?Sure, it's Josephine the Great of Spain.

Dilandau blinked in alarm and then broke into a reluctant smirk at the humor in her eyes.

I'm joking, Dilandau. I know who I am, but I don't know why my back hurts so frickin' much. She reached her hand up behind her and winced as the contact brought a rush of pain.

You were burned in the explosion. Second degree is the worst of it, but it will hurt like a bitch for awhile.How long was I out?I don't know. A few hours longer than I was, but I don't know how long I was out. Couldn't have been more than a few hours though, because the blood hadn't dried yet.

Karina sat up at that, cringing as she did so. You're bleeding?And you haven't done anything about it? She looked at him incredulously, and shook her head. God men were stupid.

Take off your shirt.

He blinked. What the hell?Letting it bleed isn't going to do you any good. So take off your shirt so I can wrap it.I can treat it perfectly well myself, he grumbled stubbornly. I don't need a telepath to—Shut up, Dilandau. she commanded firmly.

With a last glare in her direction he pulled off his shirt and tossed it aside, glaring pointedly at a piece of demolished wood.

Karina bent down to examine the wound in his side, gently running her gloved hand over the ragged edges.

It would be better if we had tweezers, I think there's still some wood stuck in it. She glanced up at him as she said this, but he was still looking determinedly away from her. As her eyes slid back down to her work, she couldn't help but notice the pale skin of his body, the well-carved muscles that rippled under his arms and torso. A tinge of crimson appeared in her cheeks, and she ducked her head down so he wouldn't see. Why the hell was she reacting like this to a shirtless man? It wasn't as if she had never seen one before.

_Of course none of them have been quite so appealing._ the traitorous part of her pointed out.

_Dilandau is _NOT _appealing._ she replied obstinately.

Dilandau could feel her hands gently extracting splinters from the wound. One of her hands was resting on his thigh, keeping her upright as she bent and with the other picked the wood free. He could feel the heat creeping into his cheeks, and he growled under his breath. This was ridiculous.

After a minute she lifted her head and pulled off her outer shirt, leaving the thin tank top underneath on.

What are you doing? Dilandau demanded, unable to keep the alarm out of his voice.

She rolled her eyes. I'm making you a bandage, you idiot. You only have one shirt and armor. I have two shirts and armor. So I might as well give you part of the most burnt one. She ripped into the already damaged fabric and began to separate it into long thin pieces. Raise your arms, she told him briskly.

Dilandau watched her face as she wrapped the bandages around his middle. He could feel her breath on his side as she bent to secure the bandages, he could see the concentration on her face and the slight tinge of color to her cheeks.

he said suddenly.

She blinked and looked up, staring at him in shock. It was the first time he had willingly called her by her name. Thank you, he said gruffly, for saving my life.Are you feeling okay? Did you lose more blood than I thought? I mean, first you call me by my name and now you're thanking me. I'm going to take that as a sign of insanity, or sanity, depending on how you look at it.You earned me calling you by your first name. You've proved yourself. It doesn't mean I like you, telepath. And your saving my life is a fact, it doesn't make me nice.No, heaven forbid you should come across as nice. she muttered sarcastically, and then smiled up at him.

He found the smile disturbing and looked away, letting her finish tying off the bandages. He looked up as what sounded like a roll of thunder echoed across the sky. he mumbled grumpily.

Karina glanced up and blinked as she saw a large cruiser ship lowering itself into the clearing. What the hell is that?One of the cruiser ships on the Vione. We don't use them often, since they're outdated and bulky, but for this case they're perfect.

As the cruiser landed several men with a stretcher leaped out of it and hurried over to where Karina and Dilandau were sitting amidst the rubble. Roughly they scooped up Karina and dumped her onto the stretcher, ignoring her protests that she could walk and wasn't a sack of potatoes. They began pushing her toward the cruiser and Dilandau followed slowly after, pulling his shirt back on and fingering the bandages as he did so.

Karina cried as they pushed her into a small room and were about to leave her.

The men stood looking at her, waiting for her to say something.

Where's Dilandau? she asked meekly, unnerved by their lack of speech and their shadowed faces.

Right here. A voice spoke at the door and Karina felt a little flood of relief. She had never been so glad to see him in her life. What is it?

She bit her lip and said quietly, Do you think you would, um, stay with me? Just for the trip back.

Dilandau studied her for a moment, a strange expression on his face, an odd flicker in is eyes. 

A/N: I'm sorry that was such a short chapter. And so un-action filled. But I had to get them out of their predicament and introduce certain thoughts into Karina's head. It's important. Next chapter will be quite interesting, I think. Teehee. Review for me, s'il vous plait!


	17. The Recovery and the Kiss

Chapter 16: The Recovery and the Kiss

A/N: Oh, yes, finally a kiss!

Karina was bored. And not just the normal, twiddle-the-thumbs-for-entertainment kind of bored. She was at the point of extreme-anger-with-the-entire-world-and-wishing-for-pain-rather-than-this-kind-of-agonizing-monotony kind of bored. She had been in the damn hospital for three days. Three frickin' days! She'd hardly had any internal injuries at all other than a cracked rib which was healing remarkably well. And the burns on her back were recovering quickly with the salve that was applied every few hours. She was lucky—she probably wouldn't scar at all.

But in her opinion, she would heal just as well in her own room or doing light training with the Slayers as here! Better, even, since she wouldn't have occasional urges to throw scalpels at the doctors who were trying to help her.

The Dragonslayers had come to visit her, of course, and had brought their entertainment and jolly good humor with them. But they were soldiers and had duties to attend to, duties which unfortunately didn't include smuggling her out of the room and taking her with them.

Folken had also visited her several times, gliding in like a phantom in his long, dark cloak and sitting on the edge of her bed. They had talked for awhile, and she remembered the moments fondly; she had almost forgotten how pleasing it was just to talk to him instead of learning to barge into people's minds and take their secrets away. He had held her hand the whole time, gently running his thumb along the creases in her palm and over her fingers, as if trying to memorize the shape. It had brought the familiar shiver to her spine, and the pleasurable racing of her heart.

The one person who hadn't come to see her since her return to the Vione was Dilandau. Not that she was surprised. He had stayed with her for the entire hour that it had taken the cruiser to get back, sitting with her in relative silence, speaking occasionally. Mostly he had simply sat by her bedside and looked into the darkness of the room, a slight frown between his brows as he absently twisted his hands, the one crimson gloved, the other bare. She couldn't expect him to want to be around her anymore when he had spent so much time with her already.

Strange that the fact that he didn't want to be around her didn't make her happy.

A blond head poked itself around the corner of her door, and Shesta grinned at her from behind the wooden frame.

Can I come in? he asked politely.

Karina breathed a sigh of relief. Somebody was here to save her from this hell. Thank god.

Of course, Shesta. He had quickly become one of her favorites of the Slayers, his quiet observations never failing to make her laugh.

I had wondered how you were feeling, and also I have a message from the doctors. The last was said with slight hesitance; everybody on the fortress knew how much she detested them.

What is it?You can be removed tomorrow, instead of in three days like they had previously thought. I think Folken spoke to them. He frowned as he said this and opened his mouth again like he was going to say something, but closed it again, obviously deciding against it.

Karina grinned at him. This day just keeps getting better and better.

Shesta glanced up at her through his blond lashes and opened his mouth, trying to decide whether or not to voice his thoughts. I believe Dilandau-sama wishes to visit you today as well. he said finally.

Her eyes flicked up and she saw that he was looking intently at her, searching her for a reaction. For some reason unbeknownst to her she felt her heart tighten, and she saw a tiny smile cross the innocent Slayer's face. Damn him for his observance.

she said as she adjusted the blankets around her legs, trying to sound nonchalant.

Well, I think he does. That doesn't mean he'll come. He can be very stubborn that way.

Karina laughed; she knew that only too well. He doesn't have to come and visit me. Nobody should make him.It's not us he's being stubborn with. It's himself.Could you be more vague? she asked sarcastically.

I could be more clear, but neither you nor he would listen to me, he muttered.

What the hell is that supposed to mean? she demanded, sitting up a little straighter and then wincing at the pain it brought to her back.

he said, a little too innocently for her comfort. Um, Karina, he hesitated and bit his lip, another frown creasing his brows, when you feel better, tomorrow when you can go to your own room, Folken wishes you to—to come and see him. An escort will be sent for you when you decide you want to come. Shesta's eyes were downcast, the innocence of his face hidden by his lashes and the slight shadows in the room.

Why would I need an escort? I've been to the throne room plenty of times before. Does he think I'll get lost? she added with an amused smile. The thought of his concern for her brought a slight smile to her face.

The request wasn't for you to come to the throne room. Shesta hesitated once more, and then blurted, it's for his chambers. He says that he's quite busy at the moment and his private office is in his rooms.

Karina felt the hint of a blush on her cheeks and glanced up at him, embarrassment in her eyes. 

There was silence in the room for a moment, Shesta sitting next to her and looking with a troubled expression at the wall, and Karina with her eyes fixed on the blankets that covered her legs, wondering why Folken would send for her now.

Shesta broke out suddenly.

Don't go.Why not? she laughed, curious as to why he was being so ridiculous about this whole thing.

Shesta moved closer to her and took one of her hands. I'm serious. Or, if you go, don't take one of his escorts, take one of us, and keep him in the room with you. Or better yet, take Dilandau.Why the hell would I want to do that? she snapped, unaccountably irritated at the mention of his name.

Because he won't let anything happen to you. You've sort of become a favorite of the Slayers, you know, and none of us want anything to happen to you. You're like the sister we never had, or that we don't remember, one of the two. And Dilandau is the most capable of making sure nothing at all will happen to you.Why this assumption that something's going to happen to me?

Shesta frowned, and for the first time since knowing him Karina thought that she saw a spark of anger in his expression.

I don't trust Folken. I—I know what happened to us, to Dalet, Miguel, Viole, Gatti. And I know it couldn't have been done without... outside help.

Karina blinked. We're not supposed to be here.I don't get it. You're not supposed to be on the Vione?Well, that too, but what I meant was—Am I interrupting? Dilandau's cold, low voice cut through the conversation like a knife. Karina snatched her hand out of Shesta's, oddly aware of the picture they must present, and watched the General for his next move. He was currently leaning against the frame, looking as relaxed as ever, but with a certain extra amount of danger in his eyes. His customary uniform was lacking; instead a loose, crimson button-up shirt hung gracefully on his broad shoulders, opened up several buttons at the throat. His legs were encased in loose black pants and black boots reaching his knees and his hair was unusually disheveled.

No, you aren't interrupting, Karina replied coolly.

Leisurely he pushed himself away from the frame of the door and sidled over to her bedside, sending Shesta a look that could have withered stone. Taking the hint, the younger man bowed and hurried out of the room, sending a last smile to the invalid. Dilandau and Karina were left in silence.

You seem to have recovered, she observed after a moment.

I wasn't injured badly, he brushed her concern off casually. He paused, and then added, You look like you feel better. He closed his mouth and frowned, annoyed with himself for showing any concern with her.

Karina felt a sudden surge of irritation and suppressed it quickly. Good god she was moody today. I do feel better. The burns are healing well.

He nodded and there was more silence. He was watching her, surveying her unabashedly as she tried hard not to meet his eyes. A disturbing warmth flooded her cheeks and some of her more vital organs as she glanced up at him; her eyes were locked with his and she thought vaguely how easy it would be to lose herself in those twin pools of blood.

I understand that you are in need of an escort, Dilandau said suddenly, breaking the spell. His cheeks held a tinge of color, but his voice was steady.

she replied hesitantly, unsure why he chose to mention it now.

Lord Folken has requested you to come to his chambers. It wasn't a question, it was a statement, and there was something in his voice which worried her.

Yes, he has.

Dilandau searched her face for a moment and then spoke again, turning his eyes to the far wall as he did so. Do you trust him?Do I what?Do you trust him? he asked again, still focused on the whitewashed wall.

Karina opened her mouth to affirm that she did, the word was on the tip her tongue, and she let out, Startled at her own admission she shut her mouth, glancing up at the General again.

he asked bluntly. There was nothing in his voice to suggest what he was thinking; his eyes were closed from her, distant.

She shook her head. I don't know, she said honestly. There's something—something in the way that speaks, in the way that he looks at me, even when he's looking at me with—with lust, that, I don't know, seems malevolent, I guess.You mistrust him and yet you are his lover still? The question held the same tone as the last, casual, indifferent even.

Excuse me? Karina demanded indignantly.

I asked why if you don't trust him you share his bed. he repeated, refusing to look at her.

I have never shared Folken's bed, and I wouldn't, not when I don't trust him. I've never shared my bed with anybody except— Karina broke off abruptly and looked down at her blankets, biting her lip as embarrassment flooded her and the gnawing of past pain came back to her.

Dilandau gazed at her and clenched his fists, quelling the temptation to comfort her. It was ridiculous, absurd. He didn't need to comfort anybody. Who was he? he asked brutally.

She looked up at him, tears of anger and pain welling up in her eyes. She dashed them away furiously and said, her voice barely trembling, It's none of your goddamned business. But I guess if you really want to know, it was a man named Steven three years ago. I was sixteen, he was nice and older, so after awhile I slept with him. It turned out he liked pain, a lot. I only ever slept with him once, and after that he would find me and hurt me. He was a fucking sadist and it took me six months to escape him. That's who he was. You happy? she asked angrily, irritated with herself for having betrayed such a weakness and poured the whole thing out to him.

was his simple reply. Dilandau nodded his head to her and turned to leave. I have stayed too long. The Slayers need their training.All right, Karina said absently. He wasn't happy she had been hurt. He wasn't happy she had been tortured. What the hell was going on here? And when had he turned into a human?

I will escort you tomorrow to Folken's chambers, and I will stay with you while he says whatever he wants to say to you.Why are you and Shesta so protective when it comes to Folken?

Dilandau didn't reply. Instead he walked out the door and shut it softly behind him, leaving her to fume at his unresponsiveness. _So Shesta's figured it out, _he thought, a little sadly. _I wonder when the rest of them will._

∞§∞

It was oddly comforting to have Dilandau walking beside her on the way to Folken's chambers, one of his pale hands resting casually on the hilt of his sword. He was dressed in armor once more today, and his appearance was formidable as he strode down the hallway. She was wearing her customary uniform as well, her hair in a tight braid down her back and her black coat buttoned up to her neck. Her gloves were in place as well, fastened snugly around her wrists with their silver buttons.

Neither of them had spoken a word since he had come to the infirmary that morning with her uniform in hand, and the silence was growing uncomfortable.

Karina said suddenly. What if Folken orders you to leave?

A strange expression came over his face and he ground out, Why the hell should I listen to him?He is your superior, she pointed out reasonably.

Maybe he was.From the history books I would say he was the only person you ever took orders from. she said conversationally, glancing up at him through her lashes to gauge his reaction.

He was.Why was? she probed.

It's been years since I've trusted him.Why don't you?It's none of your business.You asked me, she said fairly.

It was your choice to answer.Like you would have let me alone if I hadn't.

She was right. God he hated it when she was right.

He frowned, a thought suddenly occurring to him. You haven't been reading my mind, have you, Telepath?I thought we had progressed to my actual name, and no, I haven't. You would have felt it for one thing. I've only been in that twisted head of your once, and that was purely accidental.Let's keep it at once, then. _You're in my head enough already._

I said let's keep it at once.Not that, she shook her head. The other thing.I didn't say anything else.

She searched his face. You aren't lying.You sound disappointed. No, I'm not.Then I'm hallucinating.Strangely enough, he remarked sarcastically, that doesn't shock me.Shut up. she snapped irritably.

Dilandau's eyes narrowed. What did you say to me?

Karina looked up at him, a smirk remarkably akin to his own playing about her lips. I told you to shut up. And if you think I'm going to quiver in my boots, you're wrong. I'm not afraid of you, Dilandau, not anymore.

In less time than it took her to blink he had gripped her shoulders and shoved her up against the wall, eliciting a gasp and a curse from her. His grasp was strong but not painful, his face close to her own.

Are you afraid of me now, Karina? he whispered, almost huskily. His eyes were on her grey ones, the length of his body pressed against hers.

she replied defiantly. Her voice trembled slightly, but not with fear.

he demanded, not releasing her. I wanted to kill you, I hit you, taunted you, hated you, took every opportunity to insult you, I even put that scar on your throat... he trailed off, tracing the mark gently with his finger. So why?

She shook her head, shrugging. I don't know. Something about saving a person's life changes the fear factor.I know I owe you a life debt, you don't have to remind me. she continued, as if he hadn't spoken, the Dragonslayers told me a bit about your—about your past, and I guess I sort of understand.

He raised an eyebrow. You've been created almost from scratch and endured weekly torture for the first years of your life?No. But I know what it's like to be alone, and to be apart from people. And I know a little something about torture.I don't want your pity, he told her firmly. I don't need your pity.I wouldn't pity you if you asked me to. she replied without heat.

A few seconds went by and Karina rolled her eyes. Are you planning on letting me go any time soon? I have a place to be.

It was his turn to smirk. Maybe I don't want to let you go.Somebody will come looking for me eventually. You can't hold me here all day.No, I can't. You heartbeat's sped up. he observed. I wonder why that is. Out of fear, maybe?Yours has sped up too. She could feel it thumping against her chest through his armor and her uniform. Does that mean you're afraid?I don't fear you, he said scornfully.

Do you fear anything? she asked curiously.

Then why is your heart beating so fast?

Dilandau said nothing. His eyes flicked to her lips and then back to her eyes, which widened as she realized his intention. He was so close to her, his parted lips centimeters from her own.

she whispered in question.

The sudden sound of a door opening echoed through the corridor and they broke apart. She was cold now that he wasn't pressed against her, her lips were untouched by his, and her mind whirled with the conversation—and result—of the past few minutes. Had he really been going to— and more importantly, had she really been going to let him—?

Karina, how pleasant to see you. Folken's voice cut through her thoughts and she turned, facing the man who usually caused the birth of butterflies in her stomach. She felt a sudden surge of anger at the sight of him and shook her head—where were all these ridiculous feelings coming from? She didn't trust the Strategos, but she didn't hate him by any means.

Hello, Folken, she said nervously.

Why don't you come inside? he beckoned gently, holding his metal arm out to her. He looked at Dilandau and, as if only just noticing his presence, said, And the General can return to his Slayers.I have no intention of leaving, Dilandau snapped savagely.

You may wait outside if you wish, but you may be waiting quite awhile. He sent a caressing look at Karina and she turned away, her eyes lighting on the General. There was such an expression of fury on his face that she wondered if he would attack the Strategos.

she said softly in warning. _There's no need for him to get into trouble on my account, _she thought, smiling inwardly at the fact that she was looking out for the man who only three months ago had wanted to kill her and torture her in all manner of ways.

He turned to her, looking into her eyes before taking his leave. In his eyes was something she was certain she had never seen before and would never see again—pain, pain that somehow, inexplicably, she had caused.

Now that that particular nuisance has been removed, Folken said softly as Dilandau's boots padded gently down the corridor. After you, Karina. He gestured with an elegant hand to the open door of his chambers, smiling at her a warm smile that made her blush. How did he do that to her? What was it about his flattering smile that made her feel like he was undressing her with his eyes?

Karina stepped into the room and gaped. It was even more extravagantly furnished than her room—a king four-poster with a canopy stood in the center of the room, a pair of french doors that clearly led out onto a balcony, an entire section of the enormous room devoted to a deep armchair and coffee table. Two doors led out of the room, one which stood ajar was the bathroom, the other, which was closed, she assumed to be his private offices.

She turned at the sound of her name and was once again given a reason to stare. Folken had taken off his cloak and was standing in a snug, sleeveless shirt, one that emphasized every movement of the muscles in his real arm and torso.

she managed once she had snapped herself back to reality.

I suppose you must be wondering why I've asked you here today. he began in his low, seductive voice.

I was a bit. she agreed, twiddling her thumbs behind her back in her nervousness. I was wondering to myself, hmm, I can't think why I would be going to his rooms instead of the throne room and then I realized that you had private offices in your rooms, and... she trailed off as he let out a quiet chuckle, stepping a few feet closer to her.

Why don't you sit down? he suggested. I'm sure I have something for you to drink if you're thirsty.Actually I'm pretty good. I've been sitting for quite awhile in the hospital and I'm feeling so much better I'd rather stand. And I'm not really thirsty. She was babbling, out of nervousness and out of something else that was tightening the pit of her stomach into knots. Her cheeks were delicately flushed as well—he disconcerted her—so at least she knew what to attribute the stomach flutters to.

You're charming when you're nervous. he said playfully. Then, more seriously, There was a reason that I invited you here today, and it was to discuss your reading of the prisoner.The Queen of Fanelia? Hitomi Kanzaki? She met his eyes with a challenging look, momentarily forgetting her nervousness.

Yes, Dilandau has told me little to nothing about that expedition of yours, and I wanted to know more about it. But also, he paused, as if contemplating what to say next, there was another reason.Another reason? Karina repeated, her brain freezing like a deer in the headlights.

Yes, another reason. He was moving closer to her, his light eyes on hers. Instinctively she backed up, slowly taking steps back until the back of her knees bumped the bed.

And what might that be? she asked innocently, her heart pounding in her chest in a way that she didn't think was romantic anticipation.

I think you already know. His metal hand came up to caress her cheek, the other he placed gently on her waist, and she took a sharp intake of breath. I've been waiting for this for a long time, he whispered in her ear, and brought his mouth down to hers.

As kisses went, it was certainly one of the better she'd had. It was gentle at first, soft and pressing, and then more passionate as she responded. God only knew why she responded, but she suddenly she was no longer kissing Folken in her mind's eye, and when she opened her eyes she was startled to realize that the eyes looking into her own were not crimson, but in fact a light garnet that she distrusted.

She shook her head. Suddenly all she knew was that she couldn't be here. Every piece of her was screaming at her to get out, to run while she still could. Folken, I have to go.I'm sorry if you don't feel the same way I do, Karina, I simply wanted to let you know. He held her eyes again. I thought you felt the same way.I did—maybe, I don't know. Do? Did? Does it really matter? She held a hand to her head. I don't think it does. Especially when everything's all... bendy. The world was twisting before her, distorting the furniture in the room into hideous nightmarish shapes. What the hell have you done to me?Good night, Karina.

She held on to the post of the canopy, trying to keep herself up right, commanding her legs to make run for the door, but she wasn't moving, nothing was responding to her commands. What did you do? she demanded again, gasping with the effort it took to get so few words out.

He smiled slightly. A kiss can be deadly if you mean it. Don't you fret now, Karina, I haven't killed you.

She could feel consciousness slipping away from her, and she grasped at it even as it slid through her fingertips.

Son of a bitch—

In the training room Dilandau looked up, aware of the fact that the bizarre sensations he'd had a minute ago had stopped. He could have sworn that he had felt ill only a moment ago, whoozy. And now it had stopped. And so had something else, something was missing, something was wrong, but as he looked around the room, he could neither answer the question what it was or how he knew.

A/N: So the line about the kiss was from Batman the Movie, the one with Michael Keaton, but it seemed to fit so perfectly. So, what did you think? Reviews are uber appreciated, so review for me. Please. Pretty please.


	18. The Unexpected

Chapter 17: The Unexpected

A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long for me to update, but school has been crazy. I nearly had a breakdown at one point and it was not so exciting, but here is more of my story. Not too terribly many chapters of this left, however many I feel like, which should be at least five more. Maybe more than that. It depends.

Karina awoke in darkness. Not the natural darkness of night, not the peace of a resting sun, but the false, contrived black of a closed room where only the most determined fragments of light battled their way through. The air was cold, running over her body in freezing tendrils, causing her to shiver violently. She couldn't move her arms. Her legs were strapped down too, straight and together along the table. Her fingers strained to feel what she was lying on, making their way to the edge. On the way they brushed her bare skin. A surge of terror went through her—she was naked, free of all clothing and even the band she had used to pull her hair into a braid with.

Her torso throbbed with a dull pain, like multiple needles were being pressed into her skin. Where the hell was she? What was she doing here? The last thing she remembered was being kissed by Folken. _Wow those pieces are tough to put together,_ she thought bitterly. The bastard had drugged her. With a kiss. How suspense-film cliché was that?

I should have kept Dilandau with me, she whispered to no one there. She let out a sarcastic chuckle. For once he was right.

Karina closed her eyes.

_God I wish he was here now._

∞§∞

Dilandau opened his eyes as a voice sliced through the night. Was that a scream? He could have sworn he had heard it, and he heard better than most of the mountain men who had trained their ears from birth. Slowly he eased himself into a sitting position, tossing the black sheets easily off of his body. The window in his room was open, the wind whistling through into his room, sending strands of platinum hair into his face.

He shut the window quickly, annoyed that he should have left it open. He never left the window open. It was the damn telepath—_Karina,_ he amended—that was causing such distractions in his mind. She hadn't showed up in the training room in late afternoon as she had taken the habit of doing—according to the Dragonslayers, she also hadn't returned to her bedchamber at all. He should have known. She had said she wasn't afraid of him; she obviously wasn't afraid of Folken either.

He ran a hand through his hair and began pacing. Perhaps if he walked far enough he could walk her the hell out of his head. But in those moments before the door had opened, when he had held her trapped against the wall, when he had lost complete control of his mind, he hadn't thought that she hated him. He had even thought for the briefest of seconds that she—But he had been wrong. God, he hated being wrong.

You know, pacing indicates a very stressed mind. Are you stressed, Dilandau? Celena's musical soprano filtered through the darkness and Dilandau sighed. Why did she always have to show up?

What the hell do you want? he demanded angrily.

I'm worried.How touching. Now—Not about you, you idiot. she interrupted. About Karina.What do you know about Karina?I have eyes. Plus we're really good friends. I'm proud of you for finally deciding to use her name, because she was getting really pissed with the way you always called her Celena smiled good-naturedly and sat on his bed, primly folding her hands in her lap.

Dilandau blinked and controlled the urge to throttle his other half. So you've known Karina for how long?Almost the entire four months she's been here. Do you know where she is right now? Celena looked at him questioningly, her head cocked to the side like some small, magical bird.

He ignored her last question and instead asked hesitantly, What does she know about us?Most of everything. She doesn't care that we used to be me, if that's what you're worried about. A tiny smirk crossed her face. That is what you're worried about, isn't it?I don't care what she thinks of me, he said savagely.

∞§∞

Karina bit her lip over a scream as another needle dug into her arm. What was it this time? Blood sample, or were they injecting her with something else? Why were they doing this to her? More importantly, what were they doing to her?

How many hours had it been? Two, three, four? Or had it been longer than that? Had it been days and she couldn't remember it? Had it been longer? Or had she always been here and the rest was just a dream?

No. She hadn't been here always. And now she needed to leave.

she screamed as the cloaked figure at her elbow took out the needle. Please, help me, she whispered, a single tear drawing a crystalline path down her cheek.

∞§∞

Dilandau's head snapped up as he heard his name, but the sound was gone the moment he'd heard it.

Celena replied, she won't think about you at all if she'd dead. And she does think about you, she added with a conspiratorial wink.

He frowned. How could he have been a part of her once?

She's in trouble. Celena told him, her voice suddenly serious.

Yeah. I'm sure she's found lots of trouble in Folken's bed. he said sarcastically. After all, that metal arm could be quite uncomfortable while he's trying to—

He was cut off by the sound of flesh hitting flesh. Celena was glaring at him, fury written on her face. Shut up, Dilandau, she commanded. Wake up and smell the roses! You want her, she wants you, it isn't like it's a big secret anymore. One of you has to admit it and get it on before you both become impossible to live with.I don't—she doesn't—Shut up! Did I ask you for your opinion?How dare you speak to me that way? he hissed, gripping her throat in a viselike clasp.

You're just worried that she's in love with Folken, aren't you? She's not, and she wouldn't screw him, no matter how hot he is, or have you forgotten her ability? As soon as he touched her in any intimate way she'd be able to see his deepest fears and his most wicked plans, and his is not without such plans.

Dilandau grabbed a shirt from his dresser and pulled it quickly over his head. Where is she? he asked quietly, tugging on a pair of soft-soled boots. This would be a mission of stealth, so armor was definitely out of the question.

I don't know. But she hasn't left Folken's room so I'm assuming we can start our search there. She bit her lip. Dilandau, what if he's in there?

A feral grin spread over his face, and he ran a finger over the tiny silver blade that he stuck in his boot. Then me and my friend here will have to have a little discussion with him.

∞§∞

It was silent, finally. The people had gone, filing out one by one with their dark cloaks and shadowed faces until only one had remained. And she had known who it was. He had bent and touched his lips to hers, then to her neck, and lower, and she had burned with humiliation. How she longed to put him through what he had put her through. How many needles would she stick in him before he realized the error of his ways? Somehow she didn't think it would have to be too many.

Thank god it was peaceful now. But for how long would it be that way? When would they come in and start again? She couldn't move, not at all, other than her fingers and those only a couple of inches. The clasps at her wrists were metalloid, much like the link that had been put on her the first day she had come here, so the scalpel near her would do no good whatsoever, other than to keep the scientists at bay for a little while. A vengeful smile broke over her face; she could keep them at bay with that little piece of metal and laugh at them while they died from the stomach wounds she inflicted on them. It would serve them right.

But she wasn't sure she could face the pain again. It had hurt so badly, and so much, she had wanted to die. She wouldn't, at least her mind wouldn't be the first to give in, she would hold out as long as they hurt her and longer...

_Save me._

∞§∞

Folken's chambers were dark when Dilandau and Celena slipped inside, each clad in shades of the shadows. They had crept quietly down the halls, avoiding the more guarded passages and easily disabling the nighttime guard for Folken's room. The code to get in had been no problem either; Dilandau made it a point to know everybody's code just in case, and despite the fact that Folken's changed weekly, it followed a pattern that was easy at least for the General to decipher.

Nobody was in the bedroom or the bathroom—Dilandau had half-expected and half-dreaded finding Karina actually in bed with the bastard, and so it was some slight relief that they found the rooms empty.

Where could they have gone? Celena whispered, her voice echoing as she searched the bathroom for any sign of a door or a keypad.

It isn't locked electrically, Dilandau said suddenly. I've looked at the maps of this place thousands of times, and even if it wasn't labeled, power would have to be routed to it, and there isn't any branching off from Folken's rooms. There's power underneath, but that's the levistones and the generators for the weapons... a sudden grin spread over his face. With one deft movement he leaned over and ripped the rug on the floor from its place. I've always said I was the only villain with any imagination.

The trapdoor opened as he pulled it and a smirk remarkably akin to his own appeared on Celena's face. she said cheerfully, let's go get Karina.And kill the bastard who calls himself the Strategos. Dilandau added, clenching his fists as he thought of the ways he would kill him once he got hold of him.

he snapped.

You can't kill him, not yet. That would set them on you for sure.I'm not afraid of the Sorcerers.You should be. They have powers that we can only dream of, they have machines that you and I have both felt the power of. They're not human.Neither am I, Celena. You should know that. I was created out of you. So as far as I'm concerned that gives me a license to rip them into a million pieces and set their still bleeding flesh on fire. she said, and chuckled. I like the way you think.

He grinned. Let's go.

Dilandau led the way, stepping down onto the dark staircase cautiously. For all he knew it was a trap—hell, he expected it to be a trap— but the wood held true underneath him and he gestured to Celena to follow him. It was long and dark, and Dilandau's eyes didn't adjust to the overwhelming darkness. It was blacker than he had ever been in, free from all light except a few fragments that weren't enough to see anything by.

Finally they reached the bottom, a jarring stop as he tried to step down again alerting him to the fact that they were now on level ground.

She should be somewhere around here, Celena breathed in his ear, walking as softly as she could farther into the room.

The barest hiss of steel and Dilandau's knife was in his hand and thirsting for blood. There was no sound in the room, nothing at all to suggest that there was anybody but themselves.

he whispered into the darkness. There was no response, but he could hear a sharp intake of breath from somewhere in the room.

Karina, it's me, Celena, came a voice from off to his left. Dilandau's here too. Please talk, do something, so we can find you and get you out of here. a terrified whisper cut through he darkness. I can't get the bonds off. I was just gonna stab them if they came at me again, but I can't get loose. They tied me down and they wouldn't let me go, and they still won't, and if they come back I'm gonna stab the bastards and—We know, honey. We're going to get you out of here. Celena whispered soothingly, straining her ears to hear which part of the room she had come from. Dilandau closed his eyes, listening for the source of the voice.

There it was, over to the left of where he was standing. He cautiously began to walk toward her, his feet making no noise even in the nearly silent chamber.

Dilandau's here, too.

Karina was silent, but by this time Dilandau had made his way over to her side. He could feel the edge of the table beneath his fingertips, and with his hands he felt for her bonds. His hands brushed her skin and he heard her draw in a sudden breath at his touch, and he ignored the feel of the warm, soft flesh as he sought her restraints. Cool, metalloid links met his searching hands and he gently pried them apart, one my one, moving to the bonds at her feet once he had finished with her hands.

Gentle had always been the way to take off those bonds, force only made them resist harder. Finding the links at her feet was slightly more difficult, but he felt his way down the table and so managed to free her. He could hear her breathe a sigh of relief, and he started as she groped for his hand in the darkness. Slowly she eased herself into sitting position, wincing as the bruises and pains inflicted on her alerted her to their presence.

Can you walk? he asked her briskly, profoundly aware of her hand clasping his.

she said, a hint of obstinance in her voice.

I know what these people do. Can you walk?In theory, Karina smiled, trying to lighten her mood and the pain of her injuries. She pushed herself off the table and stood, and for a moment her legs held true—Dilandau caught her as they collapsed from underneath her and she bit her lip over a whimper of pain. In practice, not so much.I can carry her, Celena offered, wondering just how Dilandau would react to the prospect of carrying Karina all the way back to her chambers.

I'm not weak, Celena, I can carry her perfectly well myself. With one easy movement he had scooped her into his arms and turned to where the entrance was. With her hands outstretched, Celena managed to find the staircase once more, and with Karina's arms grasping tightly about his neck they ascended the dark passage.

Folken's chambers were still empty when they came out, the room still dark, and almost unconsciously Karina's grip tightened at the sight of the great canopied bed. In the hall it was silent; once again they made no noise. The guard was still unconscious on the floor; their mission had taken barely an hour, and it would be several before he would wake and feel the effects of Dilandau's punishing blow.

At a branch in the passage Celena stopped and turned. I have to go back to my room now. I would stay longer, but believe me it would be much worse for all of us if they found out I was here. She smiled in the dark and patted Karina on the cheek. Don't worry, you'll be fine. It's literally impossible to take anything Dilandau's protecting. I know, I was part of him once. With that she was gone, like a specter disappearing into the shadows of the hall.

Dilandau continued to Karina's room, opening the door with the code that she managed to tell him through chattering teeth. He stood there for a moment once the door was opened and reprogrammed the keypad to his own password; he doubted that Folken would bother them, for he didn't want the Slayers to turn against him, but he couldn't be sure, not when the bastard had gone so far. It would have given him great satisfaction if Folken had actually been in the room tonight, if he had been given the opportunity to rip his still-beating heart from his chest and squish it under his boot.

Gently he set Karina down on her bed, easing her down so as not to aggravate any injuries she might have. For once he forgot that he in no way, shape, or form cared for the telepath, he forgot that he wasn't supposed to like her or tolerate her or anything. With shaking hands she pulled the covers up to her chin, and as he turned to leave her hand snatched at his.

Determinedly she pulled him down so he was sitting on the bed beside her.

Please, Dilandau, don't go. Don't leave me alone. Her voice was soft, not pleading, but nearing a note of desperation.

Her bare hand continued pulling on his gloved on, tugging him down beside her on the bed. His head touched the pillow and he tensed; he was in bed with the telepath, and as far as he had been able to tell through the gloves, a very naked telepath.

I know it's stupid that I need somebody here, but I can still hear them talking about me, through the walls. I could hear Celena thinking about me, too. I think there was something in the drugs they gave me. You're the only one who's quiet. She was facing him, her body curled under the blankets, shivering despite the warmth in the room. He was carefully not touching her, keeping himself well distanced from her, except for the hand that she still held, her fingers linked tightly with his. Her breathing was slowing, evening into sleep, and he closed his eyes, resigned to the fact that he was trapped here. Don't leave me, Dilandau. she breathed as sleep claimed her, her face relaxing as her body urged her into slumber so it could heal its wounds.

Dilandau was awake for a long time, staring at the space in front of him that he knew her eyes to be. I won't. I promise.

A/N: Kinda sappy, but there was still no kissing or anything! You'll just have to wait for the next chapter, there should be a teensy bit more action, or maybe that's the chapter after that. Whatever. More to come soon, I promise!


	19. The Truth and the Decision

Chapter 18: The Truth and the Decision

A/N: So a lot of truths are revealed in this chapter... many many truths, and this is where I decide more action is needed so that will be happening too. Teehee. School is still crazy but I'm finding more time to write. Yay!

Karina's eyes fluttered open to a brightly lit room, into which the sun poured like honey. Her eyelids struggled to open with difficulty—they didn't want to open just yet, but the glare of the sun had awakened her and now she could not return to that blissful slumber. The waking also brought on the pain, sharp pangs of it everywhere on her body. Tiny points of fire were dotted along her skin; on the insides of her elbows, on her thighs, on her calves, hips, and stomach, and even in her neck she felt the ache of where needles had been shoved into her, of where things were put into her and taken out of her. Quickly she pushed back the memory of those hours and instead shifted her head to make herself more comfortable on her pillow.

Her cheek touched bare skin, and a flash of memory played before her eyes: she could see herself, dimly, just barely lit in the scant light of the hallway, naked and fragile and looking remarkably like a broken porcelain doll. She was being held in somebody's arms—the memory was from this person's point of view. With this image came a quick glimpse of Folken and a sudden surge of anger—Karina took in a sharp breath of air and lifted her head.

Her pillow was Dilandau. He was still on top of the covers and she underneath them, but during the night while they slept she had become quite close to him, snuggling up against his side and resting her head on his chest. Her cheek had touched a patch of collarbone that had been revealed by the loose fabric of his shirt. Suddenly she was very aware of the fact that she was quite without clothing under the thin sheets, and even more of the feel of his warmth pressed against her, of his hand gently resting on her waist, slightly possessively.

To her surprise, she didn't really want to move, didn't want to disturb him. He looked so peaceful, so content, his mouth relaxed and his fiery eyes hidden for once. In his sleep he let out a long breath and gently pulled her closer to him. Her cheeks flushed crimson; she could feel each of his fingers on the delicate flesh of her waist through the sheets, and the heat from his hands was causing a strange thundering of her heart.

Dilandau's eyes opened a moment later. They were slightly unfocused at first, trying to revive themselves after sleep, but then they snapped into awareness and widened with shock at seeing her so close. He seemed to realize that he was gripping her waist and that she was held tightly against him and snatched his hand back from her. Unfortunately his arm was still stuck underneath her and she had to move to let him remove it. Then he was still, no longer touching her but not leaving either, his eyes wary, waiting for her to make the next move.

She didn't know what to do, but she didn't want him to leave.

"Hello, Dilandau," she said lamely, her voice sounding much too loud in the quiet of the room.

"You're alive, Telepath." He wouldn't meet her eyes now, just kept looking up at the ceiling, as if something on it fascinated him far more than she did.

"Yeah, I'm alive." She bit her lip and pulled the covers up higher, all the way up to her chin so that almost none of her was exposed. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Getting me the hell out of there. You pretty much saved my life." She wished he would look at her or leave or yell at her or something, anything that would tell her what he was thinking. The unreadable expression on his face frightened her.

"You really should thank Celena, she was the one who woke me up and said you were in trouble." He couldn't, wouldn't, look at her. He didn't know what he would see in her grey eyes if he did, and though part of him wanted to see whatever it was, there was still a piece of him, the safe one, that refused to risk it.

"Maybe I should go thank her then."

"Maybe you should."

Neither of them moved from their positions on the bed, though she was no longer looking at him. Instead she was contemplating all the ways she could murder him with the sheets. Why the hell was he being such an asshole? He had saved her life so obviously he didn't hate her as passionately as he used to, but then why wouldn't he look at her? Was she that repulsive in the morning?

Dilandau sat up suddenly, breaking the silence with the rustling of the sheets as he rose. "I have to go do something," he told her shortly. Quickly he stood up and grabbed her sword from its resting place against the wall.

"Hey, that's mine. You can't just—"

"Would you rather I go unarmed?" he asked as he belted the weapon around his hips.

"Where are you going?" She sat up now as well, holding the covers around her form with one hand as the other supported her injured body.

"To talk to Folken."

"To talk to Folken? Are you insane? How do you know he won't just capture you and experiment on you too?" Karina was irritated to find that she was genuinely concerned for his safety. She wasn't supposed to be concerned about him when she was pissed at him.

Now Dilandau turned and looked her squarely in the eye. "Do you doubt that I can defend myself against that soulless bastard?"

Karina glared at him defiantly. "I have my doubts." she said icily. "And who are you to talk about somebody being soulless? You're the one who kills people for fun."

"Exactly," Dilandau said softly, "when I kill, I kill for fun or out of anger or revenge or because I've had a bad day. Folken kills because he does, because the deaths are means to an end. He doesn't kill the people he hates, he doesn't hate anybody, because he can't. He's an empty bastard who should have had his guts ripped out of him to go along with his soul."

Karina frowned. "If he's so empty, then why did he want to, you know—"

"Take you into his bed and have his way with you? Because that particular part of life doesn't have to involve a soul."

"Oh. Yeah, I was just wondering because, when he—"

"When he what?" Dilandau snapped, his fiery eyes glinting dangerously.

"When he kissed me, I could almost feel what you were talking about, the emptiness. More than that, I saw it, or didn't see it, I guess." She tensed as she remembered the terror of that moment, of seeing the world blur before her as the drug took effect, of falling into the dark of which she wasn't sure she would ever awaken from.

"Karina?" Dilandau said softly, his hand on the door. "Did he—did he touch you? I mean really touch you?"

Karina looked up at him and memory filled her eyes. "Other than the kiss? Yes. He—he kissed me while I was bound to the table on my neck, and...and lower. That was all though." A bitter smile crossed her face. "Maybe the rest was planned for later."

Dilandau nodded, but his shoulders were stiff in anger and his knuckles white on the hilt of the sword that hung from his belt. "I will return in a while. Don't leave this room. You can let the Dragonslayers in or Celena if they come, but nobody else." And with that, he was gone, disappearing into the hall like an angel of fire.

∞§∞

Folken, Strategos of Zaibach, and once the heir to the throne of Fanelia, glanced up as a sharp rap sounded on his door. He wasn't expecting anybody at this hour of the morning, and his Master had already come to him and—scolded him for his losing of the girl, though why it should be his fault he didn't know.

"Enter," he called, a little hesitantly.

The door slid open at his call, and his cool aqua gaze met fire. A flicker of fear showed briefly behind his eyes, but he masked it as the General stepped into the room.

"Dilandau," he greeted him smoothly. "I did not know you were planning on discussing tactics today."

Dilandau's trademark smirk crept over his face, and he moved with panther-like grace over to the Strategos' desk. "I'm not really here to discuss tactics, Strategos."

"Really?" Folken watched the General from his seat behind the desk warily, knowing that such a fluidity of movement was a dangerous sign. Only snakes moved so easily when as much anger was in their eyes, and Folken had no wish to be struck by such a snake.

"I wish to discuss the telepath, actually." Dilandau said casually, pinning Folken with his crimson eyes.

"Karina?"

"Is there some other telepath I should know about?"

"No, of course not." Folken forced a smile. "Now what do you wish to discuss about our lovely Karina?"

"Well, I was intending to do most of the talking." In a flash Dilandau was around the desk with his hand wrapped in a crushing grip around Folken's throat. "If you ever touch her, or if any of your sick masters ever try to get near her ever again, I will rip out your heart and your entrails and shove them into your soulless mouth. Is that clear?"

Folken made a noise between a gurgle and a moan, and Dilandau smiled. His hand eased around his once-mentor's throat and he turned and left the room without another word.

Folken sat rubbing his throat for several minutes after Dilandau had gone, thinking about far more than his bruised windpipe. Something he had not foreseen had occurred, and he would have to tell his masters about it with all haste—as soon as he could speak again.

Dilandau's attachment to the telepath had become a problem.

And there was only one thing to be done with problems.

∞§∞

Karina had never been a terribly patient girl, nor was she very good at being bored when there was something to be done. So when Dilandau came striding into the room she was pacing the length of the chamber like a caged tiger, having gone through the arduous task of getting dressed, and her temper rising by the second, blocking out the slight pain from her wounds.

She looked up as he entered, pausing in her anxious movements, and her brows snapped together in a frown.

"What the hell took you so long?" she demanded angrily, grateful to be able to unleash her temper on him. "I've been waiting here for you just like you asked and I haven't been very happy about it wondering if Folken had captured you or killed you or turned you into some kind of zombie-super-killer and—"

"Shut up, Karina." Dilandau interrupted sharply. He drummed his fingers against his thigh and then lifted his eyes to hers. "We're going to kill Folken."

Karina blinked. Her frown morphed to one of confusion, then of disbelief, then of amusement. "Sure we are," she said sarcastically.

Dilandau smirked and pulled off his gloves, carefully setting them on the dresser in front of the mirror. "We are. He can't live, no man like that deserves to live." His voice was soft, and held an anger that Karina had seldom witnessed even from him.

"Some people would say that about you," she pointed out reasonably.

"Maybe I don't, but since there's nobody who can kill me, I get to live. I can kill Folken, so he doesn't get to." His smirk faded and a frown crossed his alabaster face. "The only thing I regret about killing him now is having waited so fucking long to do it."

"Why did you wait until now?" she asked after a moment, her eyes searching his for an answer she wasn't sure she knew the question to.

Why? Why had he waited until now to decide that Folken needed to be eliminated? Because Folken had crossed the line. Because he had messed with nature. Because he had no soul. Because he was a bastard and Dilandau wanted to rip out his organs one by one and listen to him scream, and the waiting had sweetened that pleasure. Because he had hurt one of the only things Dilandau had ever cared about. But he wouldn't—couldn't tell her that.

Instead he opted for a noncommittal shrug, looking away from her compelling eyes so that he wouldn't feel the need to tell her the truth. Though the truth was becoming harder to hide every time he looked at her.

Karina bit her lip, and then said hesitantly, "I know why I want to kill him, but—but what are your reasons? You're not exactly a kill-the-bad-guy-because-he's-bad kind of guy. Why do you want to kill him, other than the fact that he's a soulless bastard, as you mentioned before?"

Dilandau's expression hardened as she voiced her question, and his fists clenched at his sides. "Folken is Van's brother, which I think you know from the books you've looked at on Gaea's history, and he failed his test to become the king. Bastard couldn't kill a dragon even when he did have two working arms. Then instead of returning he disappeared and reappeared here, as Strategos. That's all I know about his past up until I had the misfortune of meeting him." His jaw tightened and he still wouldn't look at her, but he pressed on anyway.

"I was Celena then, and they experimented on her and turned her into me, the perfect fighting machine. No feelings except for bloodlust, hate, rage, insanity. The Dragonslayers were acquired over time, carefully selected for their abilities and then kept for their unfailing loyalty. Then came Van, and the battle in the mountains where—" he broke off, finding it somehow difficult to go on. A hand touched his arm and he looked down into Karina's upturned face.

"You don't have to keep going if you don't want to," she told him softly, not moving her hand.

"Where almost all of the Dragonslayers were killed," he finished defiantly. "Chesta, Dalet, Guimel, Viole, they all died there. Miguel had died before at the hands of a Doppleganger called Zongi."

"I don't understand. How are they here if—"

"They're not supposed to be here. They're dead, but Folken and the damn Sorcerers brought them back to finish the battles they started so they could take over Gaea and have their 'ideal future' bullshit."

Karina's eyes were fixed on his face, disbelief and a certain horror in their grey depths. "They're dead?" she whispered incredulously. "All of them?"

"Only some of them. And none of them are dead anymore, they're alive enough." Dilandau's voice was bitter and filled with a suppressed rage that Karina could practically feel radiating from him.

"But you didn't die."

"No, I didn't. I survived and turned back into Celena for awhile. Then we sort of started sharing thoughts. We got tired of being one person, so we found a way to separate us. And now there are two of us, twins, I guess."

"Where the hell do I fit into all of this?" she asked, releasing his arm and sitting back down on the bed.

"I don't know. You've only been used as an interregator, but there has to be something else you're meant for. I can interrogate a man and get the same information out of him as you did, thought in a little more time. They wouldn't bring you here just for that." He frowned as he thought of the Sorcerers, as images of his last session on their cold operating table sprang to his mind.

"Can they send me back? Back to Earth—the Mystic Moon, I mean?"

He looked over at her and his eyes met hers, crimson and grey locked for a moment. There was a question there, one neither was sure they could answer. "Do you want to go back?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Though now that she thought about it she was having trouble seeing why she would.

"You never talk about it. If you wanted to go back, you would have obsessed about finding a way, with that damned stubborn streak you've got. So I figure you've got nothing to go back for. No reason to return."

"But do I really have a reason to stay?" she pointed out reasonably.

"Do you?" His voice was casual, and he looked away from her so that she wouldn't see into him like he was sure she could. She might not be touching him but he knew that she could read him if she wanted, not his mind, but his eyes would betray him.

"I like the Dragonslayers and the Vione, though I wish I could be on land again sometime soon. I'm not a fan of the torture aspect or the being used for my powers, but—" she broke off with an ironic little laugh. "But I find I like it here a lot better than I did back on Earth. At least here if somebody's betraying me or trying to kill me I can run them through."

"If you want to run anybody through, kill the fucking Sorcerers." he growled. Her answer had baffled him. Why couldn't she ever just say anything straight out? Why did it always have to be two sides to everything, no black and white, no I hate you or I—_or she what?_ a part of him demanded.

"All right."

"What?"

"Let's go run the Sorcerers through. You want to kill Folken so let's get them too. They shouldn't be here. They brought the Dragonslayers back, they've brought war to nearly every place on Gaea, they're tortured me, you, ruined part of Celena's life. I'm going to take a leap and say they're not good." She grinned, a slightly ruthless smile that she had picked up from Dilandau. "So let's get rid of them."

Dilandau stared at her for a minute, wondering for the first time in his life if there actually was somebody crazier than he was. But she was serious, he could tell by that merciless little smile and the determination in her eyes.

"We'll need a plan," he said slowly. He must be insane. Why the hell was he following her suggestion? Except for the fact that it was a good idea and that he was itching to kill somebody and in particular the Sorcerer's and their whiny little slave Strategos, he had no reason to agree with her.

"You're pretty good at those, aren't you?" she asked, with only a slightly teasing note in her voice.

He glared at her, and drummed his fingers on his thigh. "I'll have to talk to the Slayers. Come on," he commanded shortly, turning to leave.

Karina slowly got up from the bed and tugged her boots on—God, it was a lot harder to get up than it was to stay up.

Dilandau stopped at the door and turned around, nearly running into Karina who had come up behind him. She started and looked up at him, puzzled by the look in his eyes.

"Are you sure you want to go?" he asked in a rather clipped voice. "I can handle this, you could stay. You don't have to fight them."

"Dilandau, if you're expressing concern for my safety I may die of shock." Her tone was light, but she wanted to know, ached to know what was really behind that concern. Worry for a comrade, respect for an opponent, or more?

"You aren't in the best condition to be fighting. If you slow us down I won't be happy." he finished harshly.

Karina rolled her eyes. Same old Dilandau.

His expression softened ever so slightly and his hand reached up, brushing her arm and shoulder on its way. His fingers stretched, a feather-light touch on her cheek with his gloved hand. Her lips parted as her heart sped up, she could feel it pound in her chest. His palm caressed her face, his thumb stroked softly along her cheekbone. _What the hell am I doing?_ a reasonable part of him asked, but he ignored it.

"Karina," he began, moving closer to her. "The truth is that I—" he broke off when he felt her hand slide over his own, the one that was touching her, and hold it there.

"Yes? What's the truth?" _Tell me, Dilandau, for goodness' sake just tell me that you need me, tell me._

"I..." he trailed off and his face drew nearer to hers. His breath was soft and warm against her cheek, his lips so close to her own. "Stay with me."

"Yes," she breathed, and pulled his mouth down to hers.

A/N: Well, that's all for now. I have more time to write now because this semester isn't absolutely insane unlike the last one. What did you think? You know you want to review for me. I'll try to get the next one up pretty soon. More action, in more ways than one, and only a few more chapters left.


	20. The Questions

Chapter 19: The Questions

A/N: And without any further ado, the chapter.

Karina had certainly been kissed before, plenty of times by plenty of people. She was not exactly revolting, and she had been relatively sought after. But nothing could have prepared her for the sensations running through her with Dilandau's lips on hers. Heat seared through her, from her belly it spread outward, to her fingers that were buried in his hair to her back where she could feel each of his fingers pressing her to him. Pressing closer she opened her mouth to him, slipping her tongue between his lips.

Dilandau caught his breath as Karina's tongue caressed his and wondered vaguely if the heat in him would kill him when no sword had managed to. He had never kissed a woman before. That was the truth. He had never wanted to. He was not programmed to have lust for women, only blood, only battle. But this woman had tugged at his emotions and his sensations until he thought he might die if he didn't touch her. And here he was, his hands sliding over her, exploring her as he had wanted to for so long, kissing her with all the pent-up longing he had restrained inside him.

After awhile, it could have been an eternity or only a few minutes, neither of them was sure, they drew back and took in the other's swollen lips and flushed cheeks and ragged breathing. His hand lingered on her waist, hers rested on the back of his neck. Karina looked into his eyes, the eyes that were the color of passion, and saw them burning as they looked into her own.

Dilandau cleared his throat as a blush stole into his pale cheeks.

Karina smiled. "I bet that's what you say to all the girls."

He frowned. "And is that what you say to all the men?"

"No."

He dragged a hand through his hair. "What the hell just happened?"

"Come on, Dilandau, even you are not that ignorant. We kissed, and it was—" she paused as she tried to find a word that suited their last few minutes in heaven.

"Like fire," he finished, barely above a whisper. Dilandau had never felt anything with the same intesity as fire had, with the same power to consume or keep warm, to destroy or create, until now. And that this power came in a telepath he couldn't control his feelings for frightened him, just as the fire did, though he yearned for it still.

"So what happens now?" she asked, her voice slightly less confident than it had been a minute before. "Other than killing the Sorcerers, obviously."

"What do you mean?" His voice held more panic than he would have liked it to. Why did she have to ask questions he didn't know the answers to?

"I mean what is this? Was that just a kiss, or am I supposed to expect more?" She shook her head. "A few months ago I thought you were going to kill me and that I could never fear anybody as I feared you, and now... I need to know what you feel for me."

Dilandau blinked. "You want to know now?"

Karina rolled her eyes. "No, I want to know in a half hour. Yes, now. If the last few minutes were anything to go by I'd say you like me pretty well. Do you?"

"Yes." he replied steadily. He at least knew that much.

"For how long?"

"We need to find the Slayers," he growled, turning away from her curious stare.

"All right. We should go find them then."

"We should." They left the room and walked in silence down the hall, standing several inches away from eachother, not touching. "How long have you—?" he began, but stopped, thinking better of it.

Karina looked up at him. "Awhile. I don't really know how long or anything but, awhile I think." She grabbed his hand and twined her fingers with his. He glanced down at her, an expression of something she could almost call fear on his face. "This doesn't have to be weird." she told him gently. "You want me, I want you. Why can't we just be... together?"

"Do you even have any idea what that means? Being with me? Do you really have any idea what I've done?"

"Yes. I know what you've done, I know everything about you. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't care. But you're not like that anymore, or at least not as much." She smiled a little. "At least you don't go on random killing sprees anymore."

"I don't know you. You could know everything about me and I still wouldn't know anything about you. You can read my mind." he finished.

"And you think that means I know you? I've read your mind twice, Dilandau. Ever. And if things... happen as they tend to in relationships—" she blushed as he looked down at her, a bright light in his eyes— "then I won't be able to help reading your mind. Unless you expect me not to touch you."

He swallowed and said nothing.

"I want you. I want to be yours. Can't you just trust me?"

His eyes were on her again and he tried to shield the emotions in his eyes as he looked at her.

"Do you trust me?" he asked softly.

"Yes," she answered without hesitation.

He paused and his hand tightened on hers. "I trust you."


	21. The Plan and the Execution

Chapter 20: The Plan and the Execution

A/N: I know it's been a really really long time but my summer got completely mad and that was rather annoying. But here I am again, on one of the last few chapters of this story! Ah!

Inside Shesta's and Gatti's room was where they met. All fifteen of them, surrounding Karina and Dilandau in the room. They sat on the beds, the chairs, a few were cross-legged on the ground. Their expressions were grim, somber, but with a suppressed excitement that could not quite be contained by their calm demeanor. They had no illusions that they were all going to come out of this alive, that would be ridiculous. They were the elite, but they were going against magic, science, powers that they knew nothing about. They knew swords and steel and fire and how to kill a man with bare hands, but they did not know magic, except that it had created their leader. And if Dilandau was afraid of the sorcerers, then they must be terrifying indeed.

"Are we all clear on what has to happen?" Dilandau's voice rang in the silence. He was standing in the center of the room, Karina by his side, still holding onto his hand.

The slayers nodded as one, and when he raised an eyebrow at them, quickly amended, "Yes, Dilandau-sama."

"Viole and Ryoun and I are to come from the back." Dallet said softly.

"Six of the others come from the sides, through the walls and the venting. Thanks for those schematics, Karina." Gatti smiled at her.

"You're welcome." Please God let me see them all again.

Dilandau spoke up now, waving a hand for silence. "I don't think we should speak any more of this. We already may have said too much. If they have surviellance on this room we're fucked already, no need to give them any more to go on."

Karina shook her head. "I don't think they have any idea what's coming. I would feel the adrenaline, it's one of the easiest things to feel."

Dilandau frowned. He knew the Sorcerers, and they weren't exactly human. Who was to say if they knew they were coming that they would feel adrenaline at all? Or would they just be lying in wait for them, with their needles and their poisons and their chemicals? Would they turn them into ghastly semblances of their former selves? Would they kill them all? But Dilandau kept his fears to himself.

Karina squeezed his hand ever so slightly, feeling his anxiety. She was carefully blocking his thoughts from her mind, despite their bare hands being entwined. She knew he was not comfortable with the fact that she could pick apart his brain in seconds, and she did not want to give him reason to fear her as he already did.

"Time to go." Dilandau said, glancing at the clock in the room. "If we don't accomplish this within the next hour, we can safely bet that we're all dead. But we won't die. We're the fucking elite. And if you fail me I will haunt you into eternity." He smiled slightly. "We won't fail."

They left individually, leaving in small groups a few minutes apart from eachother. Some used the adjoining doors and exited from other rooms so as to make the mass exit less suspicious, some left laughing and joking, staggering as if they were drunk. Technically it was the Slayers' one night off for the week, and their best bet was to pretend they were enjoying, and not possibly going to their deaths. True, there were only four Sorcerers, and fifteen elite soldiers and a telepath, but the Sorcerers were far older and more experienced than the Slayers, and they had the Strategos on their side, who was not named so for nothing.

Dilandau and Karina were the last to leave, along with Gatti and Miguel. Miguel was silent for once in his life, grim and purposeful along with the rest of them.

Dilandau nodded to them as they parted ways, Gatti and Miguel had a job to do, but so did the telepath, one that would require protecting her.

The two of them made their way to the control room, the access code to which only three people knew, and Dilandau was not one of them. Karina closed her eyes and put her hands on the security device. Numbers ran through her head, hundreds of them, thousands of them, different codes, codes that were changed daily. But the most recent code was... gone.

Karina opened her eyes. "There's no code for today. It's just not there. The most recently used code was used yesterday afternoon. There's nothing newer. We could try that one—"

"No, we can't. A wrong code and you die. Literally. There's a poison that's released by this after the first incorrect try. A small amount, but potent. After fifteen minutes it's diluted enough by the air to make it harmless, but to somebody standing right here, it's deadly and painful."

"So it's nerve gas."

Dilandau's brow furrowed. "We call it the eating gas, but yes, it is essentially nerve destroying."

"So what are we supposed to do?"

Dilandau sidled up to the tiny window in the door and scanned the room inside. There was nobody there, nor did it appear that anything inside had been touched for at least a day.

"Can you do it from outside?" he asked hesitantly.

Karina blinked. "I've never done anything like that before. I tend to have to touch things to have anything happen. You know that, I can't read your mind unless I touch you."

He looked steadily at her and his brow furrowed slightly. "Can you try?"

Her eyes traveled to the door and she closed her eyes. "What happens if the door breaks?"

Dilandau shrugged. "We die."

Karina smiled weakly. "Good to know."

Slowly she placed her hands on the door, closing her eyes and feeling through to the other side with her mind. She could see the inside of the control room perfectly, and she turned, around to the door. There it was, cold and hard and forbidding. She felt she could see herself through the inches thick metal, concentrating so hard on opening it. A jolt went through the door and it slid silently open.

Karina drew back, her breath coming slightly faster than she thought it should. "We're not dead," she observed.

Dilandau grinned. "No, we're not." He stalked quickly into the room, looking around warily to see if anybody awaited them inside. He turned, motioning for Karina to enter. His hands were at once at the controls, switching levers and depressing buttons with speed that could only be superhuman. At each change in the controls he made there came a demand from the screen for a password, and each time Karina placed her hands gently on the panel and supplied one, for these were not changed daily, but weekly, and so the codes from this week were still in the database.

After several minutes he rose and cracked his knuckles with a ruthless little smile.

"Are they all inside?" Karina asked softly.

"Yes," the smile not leaving his face.

"And all the doors are open..."

"To be sealed once we enter and enter the code."

"There will be nowhere to run," Karina pointed out softly.

"That's the point. So that they cannot escape."

"For either side."

Dilandau's eyes darkened. "I know, but we have to. We will not fail. We can't. And I don't know if all of us will come out alive, but the Sorcerers and Folken will die. I can't share Gaea with them."

"Please don't say 'us' that way. We're not going to die."

"Some of us might." he said casually.

Karina shook her head. "You won't."

His eyes flickered down to her face and he stepped closer to her. "No, I won't. And you won't leave."

She smiled. "I don't think I can."

He frowned. "But you won't. Promise."

Her eyes met him, and she recalled how she had thought that they looked like passion, like fire but soulless, so long ago. "I promise I won't leave."

A smile unlike the ruthless one he had displayed regarding the fate of the Sorcerers played about his lips and he pulled her to him with one quick motion. His lips came down on hers, hard, a rough kiss that said more than he thought he could right now.

"Good."

A/N: So how do we like this? I confess that I haven't had much time to write. School and summer have been crazy and I know it's been ages since I last updated, so please please PLEASE review for me! Last two chappies coming up.


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